


Steven Universe: The Gem Cesarl: Book One

by AmethystCesarl



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-05-19 21:47:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 46
Words: 30,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14881830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmethystCesarl/pseuds/AmethystCesarl
Summary: Amethyst has been a member of the Crystal Gems for thousands of years through thick and thin. Due to the arrival of their most devasting threat, Amethyst's choices and actions are put to the ultimate test between family, friends and love interests as reality crumbles before her, causing her to question the truth to her existence.





	1. Defective

**Author's Note:**

> This has been my first Steven Universe work and also my first completed work which I'm pretty proud of. I've decided to post an arc of chapters for one day each week for twelve weeks for this work. I'm currently working on the the first part of the last book (Book 3) which will tie all of the loose ends together, hopefully. A lot of people liked this AU probably becuase of the relationships and I will warn you that even though I rated this for General Audiences, there is some content that some of you may find unsuitable, so watch out for that. So from Wattpad to SU Amino to AO3, this is The Gem Cesarl.

I knock on the temple door. On cue, Pearl opens it and steps out in front of me. "Amethyst, you do realize that you could only enter my room when I'm standing here alongside the doorway."

"Oh. Sorry. I just...wanted to talk with you...alone." Pearl looks around. "Well, Steven is out with Connie and Garnet is busy in the harvesting room."

Pearl walks over to the couch. "Why don't we talk in here? There's no one home other than us." I nod. "Well, I guess so." I walk over to Pearl and I sit down on the couch next to her.

"So, what's wrong?" I look down as I fold my arms. "I...I couldn't believe it. I lost to Jasper and now look at me. I'm weak, I'm small, I'm...I'm...  
defective!"

"Hey hey. Amethyst, you're not defective. Well, you are it's just that..." Pearl looks away for a moment. "At least you aren't corrupted. You could've been one of them."

"But...I want to be the best. I want to beat Jasper! I want...!"  
"I know. You can't heal scars. You can only heal wounds. You can't change what you are. You can only change you."

I won't respond. Pearl continues. "I don't want you to change, Amethyst. I like you. This you. The real you. It doesn't matter if you are small." "You're lying. It does matter."

"Well..."  
"You just love bigger Gems! You love stronger Gems! You don't care about anything other than that! Rose, Garnet, Bismuth. All of them! I...ngah!" I blush and I tear up.

"Look! I care about you, alright! A lot!" I pause for a moment. "I don't want to lose you. You are just...so amazing. Everything about you is amazing."

Pearl looks down. "I...I care about you...too." I hug Pearl. "Please! Please stop falling for other Gems! I know! I'm acting selfish and difficult but I-!" Suddenly, Pearl kisses me on the lips and we close our eyes.

After what seems like a minute, we let go, we open our eyes, and we look away from each other. Pearl gets up from the couch. "I...I gotta go." Pearl runs to the temple door as it opens for her.

Once she enters her room, the door immediately closes behind her, leaving me alone. I sigh and I look out the window as the sun sets for the night.


	2. Visitor

I warp over to the Kindergarten. I decided to visit and hang around there for a bit. I head over to my hole and press my hand on its surface and I sigh.

"Why? Why did I have to be the one to be made wrong?" I hear something...suspicious. I turn around to see...nothing but holes as far as the eye can see. I look back at my hole and something grabs me by the shoulder.

"Huh?" I quickly turn around as I gasp in shock. I take out my trusty whip and I look around. Suddenly, I am shocked with electricity...or is it plasma? This substance doesn't feel right.

I try to pull another whip out my gem...but nothing happens. I suddenly feel...weak and sick to my stomache. I collapse and I look up as a tall figure steps out of the shadows. 

"Who the heck are you?! Get away from me! Stay back!" I hold out my whip...but it dissapears. "Calm down." "NO!" I try to get up...but I can't move a muscle. "Wh-What did you do to me?!"

He steps up to me and he bends down. He presses a hand on my forehead as I breathe heavily. "PEARL! GARNET! STEVEN! ANYONE?! HELP!"  
"Amethyst, stop fighting."

"What?! How do you know my name?!"  
"You are part of the Crystal Gems, correct?"  
"What are you up to?! Were you sent from Homeworld?! We'll stop you!"

The eyeball demon isn't intimidated. He doesn't move an inch, still holding me down. "I'm erasing your mind. Once the process is complete, you will forget about your friends, your family, everyone."  
"HELP!"

The demon puts a hand on my Gem. I bite his hand...but he doesn't flinch. Instead, he chuckles and then he laughs. I try to escape his grip. Finally, I can feel myself moving again. And then, I can't move all over again.

The demon forces me down with another zap. My gem starts glowing. I can see my body glow. He starts glowing as well. Suddenly, a single word starts ringing in my head. 

"Corruption, corruption, corruption." Non-stop. "NO! PLEASE!" I try to break free. It's no use. I'm being forced to fuse with him. I can't stop myself from fusing with the demon. 

I then realize that there's one other option. I force the fusion in myself. The tables have turned. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! IF YOU FORCE IT IN, IT WILL DESTROY ME!" 

"Perfect! That's exactly what I'll do then!"  
"NO! YOU DON'T GET IT! IT WILL ALSO CORRUPT YOU AS WELL!"  
"I'm sorry. I have no choice! You did this and you will regret it!" 

"WE'LL SEE WHO REGRETS IT MORE, AMETHYST! IT WILL NEVER BE OVER FOR YOU!"  
"ENOUGH!" I force the fusion in and I rush it with such a force, that I pass out.


	3. Corruption

I wake up. I'm still in the Kindergarten. But something's feels... different. I no longer feel the demon's presence around me. He must be gone. I take in a breath of relief.

I head to the warp pad to go back to the temple. As soon as I appear, Garnet looks at me and she frowns. One of her hands twitch as Pearl covers her mouth. "Amethyst."

Pearl said my name in a horrified whisper. Garnet shakes her head. That has to mean that she's ashamed of something. But what? "Uh...guys? Is there anything wrong?"

Pearl starts walking up to me as Garnet puts a hand on her shoulder. "Pearl, be careful not get too close." She lets go of Pearl, who examines every aspect of my body carefully.

She checks my feet, legs, arms, belly, chest. "Pearl!"   
"I'm sorry. I just need to check everything to make sure that you're okay." She then lifts my shirt from the back and she gasps.

"What is it?!" We both respond to her gasp. Pearl then reads an inscription aloud. "Corruption will forever be her curse. What? Amethyst! Where have you been?!"

"I swear guys! I was at the Kindergarten! Some creepy eyeball demon came to me and forced me to fuse with him!"   
"Oh really?!"   
"Yeah! What's it to you anyway!" Pearl stops arguing with me. "Well, I-!"

Garnet holds up her right hand. "That's enough. She's telling the truth." Pearl looks over at Garnet. "Garnet, what is this?"   
"It's his final words."   
"Whose final words?"

Garnet walks over to where Pearl is, which is right next to my back. She presses a hand on my back. "Eloc Illuminar Cesarl's. He's been around a lot lately. However, he never caused any real damage...until now."

"What?" We both respond to Garnet's comment. "And over here, there is a picture as well. A tattoo probably. There is a pyramid with an eye in the center of it. The Illuminati."

Pearl raises her eyebrow. "Illuminati? What's an Illuminati?"   
"No, Pearl. THE Illuminati. He's an eyeball demon that's sort of like us Gems. He can live for thousands of years too. Millions even."

I add my comment to that. "Wait, isn't he gone though?"   
"No, Amethyst. I never said that he's gone. His physical form may be gone. But his mental state of mind lives on within you."

My head starts to hurt...a lot. Garnet walks out of the room. "Pearl, send Amethyst to her room. She needs some rest." Pearl calls to Garnet. "Wait, Garnet! What will happen to Amethyst?!"

Garnet stops walking and she clenches her fists. "Amethyst must fight out her mentality. If she fails to stop him from getting to her head, it could mean the end of the Cystal Gems." She turns her head. "Forever."


	4. Affection

Pearl escorts me down through my room full of garbage. "Amethyst, I will never understand why you keep such a messy room in the temple. I mean, look at this! It's nothing but mountains of garbage for miles!"

I yawn. "Yeah. It's just my style I guess. Besides, there are some really interesting things in here as well." "Right." I stop and she stops right next to yet another pile of garbage.

"Is this it?"   
"Yeah. Pretty much." Pearl contemplates the garbage next to us. "Hmm...there should be some things in here to help make you a bed. Let's see. We'll need a mattress and a blanket. Also, a pillow, according to Steven."

I try to go get everything myself...but my head and my body starts hurting again. The pain is just unbearable. I collapse on a pile of garbage. "Huh?" Pearl looks over at me and she runs over towards me. "Amethyst!"

She kneels down and she puts a hand on my forehead. "Are you okay?!" "Yes, Pearl. I'm fine."   
"Your partner is trying to take over. I...I don't know what's going to happen to you." She helps me sit up. She then helps me up into her arms.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you yesterday. I...don't know what it would be like. I mean...me and you. Opal. Forever." She presses a hand on my cheek. "I should've went out there with you." I rub my forehead. 

"I could've at least taken your place in this mess. He just needed a carrier. And since you were the only one out there, you became his victim. But just remember, that I-we will always love you no matter what."

"Pearl." I press a hand against her face. "You don't need to hide it from me anymore."   
"Hide what?" Pearl blushes. "Your love and affection for me. Our kiss didn't feel like an accident to me."

Pearl looks away. "I'm sorry. I can't believe that this is happening to you. Could we even fuse anymore?" I shake my head. "Not unless you want corruption."   
"Well, I don't care. I...I...I don't care if I die with you like this!"

"Pearl, please don't say that. You don't need me. Don't you have other Gems that you could hang out with other than me?"   
"I don't just want to hang out with you though. I want to be with you."

"I don't want you to get hurt like me." "And I don't want you to feel lonely like me. Please, just let me come in."   
"I might destroy you just like that demon." 

"Then...please accept this." Pearl kisses me again and I kiss her back. We stay like that for a little bit. And it feels like an eternity. Our eyes are closed as we tear up the same tear.

Finally, she lets go after what seems like forever, as if this could be our last kiss. We only had two but they were both worthwhile. It feels weird, liking someone you hated for a while.

I then tear up, remembering all of the things I've done to her. "I'm sorry." "Don't be. I forgive you. Just promise me that no matter what happens, that you'll find your way back home." I nod.

Pearl lets me lie down on the mattress. She then puts the cleanest blanket that she could find on top of me and a nearby pillow to rest my head on. She lightly pats my cheek and she smiles a sad smile.

"Good night, Amethyst." She goes for my lips again...but I stop her. "I think my forehead would be better for this." "Oh. Right. Sorry." She kisses my forehead and then she leaves. "Good night, Pearl." I close my eyes.


	5. Cursed

I float in mid-air in a void of stars and eyelids. Normally, this image would creep me heck out of me...a lot. But for some odd reason, my fear suddenly appears nonexistent to me.

The eyelids open up to reveal eyeballs. There are eyeballs everywhere in a void of stars in the middle of space. I don't know where this place is. Could it all be a dream? "Defective."

Suddenly, everything dissapears...and a light turns off? "Visitor." I look around but I can't see anything but pitch black darkness. "Corruption." I look behind me. "Affection." 

"What the-!"   
"Cursed."   
"Whose there?!"  
"Madness."   
"Why are you saying this?!"   
"Sh-"   
"ENOUGH! SHOW YOURSELF!" 

I summon electricity from my fingertips and I gasp, immediately putting the spark out. "Amethyst." Finally, I see a single eyeball. A giant green eyeball with a huge mirror-like pupil in the center of it to show my reflection. 

I gasp again at the sight of what I've become. Finally, an entire physical form appears with the giant eyeball. I now remember who it is. The trench coat, the gloves, the weird shirt. It's him. It's the eyeball demon from the Kindergarten.

"Eloc." I try not to look directly at him. "YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE! BECAUSE NOW, YOU WILL SUFFER FOREVER AS THE BEING YOU TRULY ARE! A MONSTER!"

I can see that I'm wearing what he had worn. I've completely forgotten what he even wore when I met him...until now. Everything is coming back to me. And I really wish that it didn't.

"YOU MAY BE YOURSELF!" An image of Pearl appears in the void taking out her spear. Another image appears next to it: Me taking out my whip from the time I was fighting Pearl at the Kindergarten.

"BUT YOU'RE NOT YOURSELF!" I see another image of me latching my whip onto Pearl and sending her into a nearby injector drill. She bounces against it and she hits the ground from the impact. 

Every image repeats itself in a loop, inaudible to my ears. Just watching the image is horrible enough. Hearing our voices would seriously brake me. I would just go insane at this point.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" A single one-liner echoes in my head. One that I have yet to hear. From who, I know. From what I can tell, I can't. I don't want to believe what I've just heard.

I'm not going to look behind me. Finally, a flurry of split second frames appear before my very eyes, creating a massive explosion, engulfing me in a wave of plasma.


	6. Madness

I open my eyes. I see that I'm back in my room. I sit up as I press a gloved hand to my forehead. "Ugh, what happened?"   
"I happened!" Speak of the devil.

Eloc has returned. He's speaking to me through my concious. And I helplessly listen to every last word that he says from within. I can't ignore him. His voice is stopping me from focusing, from breathing.

I feel like I'm being suffocated. "What do you want with me, Eloc?!"   
"I needed a carrier."   
"No. Please stop." My head is hurting and so is my body as usual. But only after he says something does it really hurt.

"Look at you." I pull off the blanket. "My power, my soul, everything." I get up from the mattress. "Has been passed down to you. Now, you will do as I command."   
"Never! I won't do it! You can't make me!" 

"Yes...I...CAN!" Suddenly, I felt a thought turn off as it was replaced by another one. A more sinister one. I feel...evil. I...want to be evil. But how and why? I don't...I must. "N-NO! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

I run out of my room as fast I could. I need to stop him. I have to stop him. "You can't win, Amethyst. Quit fighting! It will do you no good! You're weak! You'll never be truly loved by anyone! Not even her."

"You know?!" I feel sick in the pit of my stomache. "I knew. You just care about her so much after so much hate. And hate isn't your friend. Nor your lover."   
"I...don't hate her anymore!"

"And is it all because of a kiss? How do you know that she's in love with you? She could just be faking it to help you feel better."   
"NO! YOU'RE WRONG!"

I tear up and I feel myself reeling back into the couch in pain. "Back to square one, Amethyst!"   
"Ah! Please! Just tell me what you want me from me!"

"You will only do what the others don't want you to do. The first thing you're going to do is destroy your memories. After that, you will slowly become mine to fully command!"

"I DON'T GET IT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"   
"DESTROY THIS PLACE!"   
"NEVER!"   
"THAT'S AN ORDER! FOLLOW YOUR COMMANDER LIKE THE QUARTZ SOLDIER YOU ARE!"

"No...no...no...Yes. YES!" I laugh. But something doesn't feel right. What's going on? Did Eloc just dissapear? I can't hear his voice. I close my eyes and I wake up on the floor seconds later.

I put a hand on the back of my neck as it throbs with pain. I feel dizzy and nauseous. "Eloc?!" No answer. I clutch my stomache. I want to unfuse. What happened? Did that really happen? Was it a side-effect from the fusion?

"Please. Just let me unfuse." I don't feel anything controlling me. I can't unfuse. He's right. I really did meld a part of him inside me. But is it talking to me? Am I just going insane? Is this what madness feels like?

I can't understand my current dilemma. All I can think about was the dream and Pearl. I need help. Anyone's help would be great right now. I'm a ticking time bomb. I can feel sparks ignite in my hand.

"Please. Steven. Garnet. Pearl. Someone. Anyone!" I can't control myself. I don't understand this feeling. Who is the one in control? Where are these thoughts coming from?

I get up and I collapse again on the table. I get up, clutching my forehead. I face the temple door as I hear the one word that will never stop repeating itself. "Corruption, corruption, corruption."


	7. Shatter

I want to get into the harvesting room. I dont know why I want to get in there, but a part of me really felt like getting inside. I remember that the harvesting room is Garnet's room.

Which means that Garnet's presence needs to be near the temple door in order for me or anyone else to get inside. Speaking of which, where is Garnet?

Suddenly, Garnet opens the door and she steps back in shock. "Amethyst." I smile. Is she actually afraid of me now? "What are you doing?! You should really be getting some sleep right now!"

My reflection reflects off of Garnet's visor. "You shouldn't be doing what your head is telling you to do." I chuckle. "Sorry. My mind's already made up!"   
"Amethyst! DON'T!" I push her aside and I charge into the room.

I see bubbles everywhere around me. Mainly pink. There are others that are white and red though. I want to unbubble them. ALL of them! I summon my whip. "WAIT!" 

I lash out at every last bubble as one pops after the other. After a few seconds of being unbubbled, each gemstone glows, releasing out it's physical form one after the other.

I run out as Garnet runs out of the temple. I follow suit and as soon as I get down the steps, I summon another whip and I break off the wooden supports of the temple. 

Having nothing left to stand on, the temple crashes down into the sand. I smile and then I cover my face in anguish. "WHAT AM I DOING?!" The temple continues to burn in the recent wreckage that follows. 

All that's left, is the temple door. Pearl takes in a breath of fire, standing in the doorway. The bad type of fire is what's currently spreading throughout all of Beach City.

Pearl coughs from the bad air and she she opens her eyes. "Huh?" She looks around and covers her mouth. "The temple!" She gasps when she sees me and she clenches her fists.

"YOU?!" She pounds the wall and she jumps out. She lands on the sand and she tears up as she walks around the temple. "How could you destroy something we ourselves have created? Together?"

I look away as to try to avoid eye contact. "I mean...OUT OF ALL THE INDECENCIES THAT YOU HAVE CAUSED, THIS IS JUST UNFORGIVABLE!"

She looks away as well and she sighs. "I don't understand. Why did you destroy the temple? Why are you so angry? Why are you acting this way? This isn't like you."

"Pearl, the sad truth is...it is me. Eloc is just a part of my soul and nothing more." Suddenly, I lash the whip out at Pearl. She jumps out of the way and she charges up her spear.

"Amethyst! I'm warning you! Please stop this immediately...before it's too late!"   
"No!"   
"Please think about this for a second! This will only end just the same as before."

"Yes, Pearl. It will end ALMOST the same as before than just that. Let me remind you that before, I almost destroyed you. But this time though, everything is ready for your death."

I then zap Pearl with electricity. I think it was that...or plasma maybe?  
Her skin tone fades as she collapses to the ground...at my feet. "WAIT!" I hold my whip in a readied position.

"Please don't do what you have to."  
"I'm sorry, Pearl." A single tear slides down my cheek. I punch her forehead and she poofs. I then pick up her gem and I crush it, shattering it into pieces.


	8. Banned

I did it. I shattered the love of my life. Was the murder intentional or just out of my hands? Well, I can't answer that question since it seemed like it was done in both of those ways.

I gasp at my sudden action. "What have I done? Pearl? NO!" I collapse next to the shards as I tear up a little. I scream and wail in frustration as Garnet runs up to me with Steven.

"AMETHYST!" I know what's going to happen and I know that I can't avoid it. The best I can do is delay the inevitable. "AMETHYST! LOOK AT ME!"

I'm still not going to face her. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!" It's the one-liner that I had never expected so soon. I never wanted to hear it for real. I only heard it one other time in my dream.

I can hear Garnet's footsteps crunching in the sand as she walks over towards me. I notice her incoming shadow overshadowing me. Finally, she stops right behind me.

"AMETHYST! TURN AROUND!" She forces my body to turn around and Garnet slaps my face. She holds me up by the shirt. She then throws me to the ground.

Just when I hit the surface, we notice the shards of Pearl's gem flying out of my pocket. Garnet gasps at the sight of them. Steven tears up and he presses his face into Garnet's right leg.

I quickly bubble the shards and I send them off. "Uh...no hard feelings?" I shrug, trying to look innocent. "Listen to me, now." She summons her gauntlets and she pins me to the ground.

"What I saw was something I never wanted to see!" She punches me across the face with her heavyweight gauntlet. She then holds me up again only to punch my stomache twice and hurl me into the ground.

"Therefore, you are officially no longer a Crystal Gem! That is it! The end and goodbye forever! If I ever see you again, I'll shatter you on the spot! And then I'll harvest your shards for good measure!"

I face Steven and I try to reassure him with a smile. He glares at me in response and with tears, he runs away towards the beach. 

Garnet then walks away, fists clenched, shaking her head, tears streaming down her face. I stare at her as she leaves. She then stops. "Leave." I don't feel like moving. I really don't want to say goodbye.

"NOW!" I then run away towards the pier. I tear up as I tear though my hair. "Eloc! Eloc! ELOC! SO THIS IS HOW IT ENDS, HUH?! YOU'RE PLAN WAS FOR ME TO BREAK UP THE CRYSTAL GEMS ONCE AND FOR ALL!

WELL, GUESS WHAT?! YOU WON! YOU GOT WHAT YOU WORKED FOR! ARE YOU HAPPY?! NOW JUST LEAVE ME ALONE YOU DINK!" I run away. Far away. Out of Beach City.

I keep running until I see the barn where Peridot and Lapis currently reside. I can't go inside. I can't bear to let them see me like this. They're all that I have now.

I don't want them to find out what I did. But they will soon enough though. They're one of us...I mean...  
them. I sit down outside the barn and I cover my face as I cry my final cry in a silent manner that night.


	9. Concern

I open my eyes as I wake up to another day here in what's left of my miserable life. I can't believe this. How will Peridot and Lapis react to hearing how I even got banned?

I shattered a Crystal Gem! And not just any Crystal Gem, but my Cystal Gem. We could've been her. A fusion like Garnet and we could've lived happily ever after.

But no! Life chose to push me even further down the line and this is all I'm left with now. After Peridot and Lapis, I'll probably shatter myself since no one would even care about me after that.

Oh come on! I miss Pearl already! Her soothing voice and those lips. I can't imagine my life without her. Maybe, it's best if I just head over to the Kindergarten and shatter myself there just to get it over with.

I get up and I start walking. "AMETHYST?!" Peridot has spotted me. Shoot! I can hear her running  footsteps. I turn around and I also see Lapis running up with her. "Peri! Slow down!"

Peridot finally reaches me and she gives me a quick hug. "Wow. Amethyst! You're looking good! Where did you get that flashy outfit you've got on?"

"Uh..." Lapis walks up to join Peridot's side. She looks dissapointed. "Where's Steven?" I look down, already looking guilty. Lapis and Peridot exchange looks with one another.

"Uh...so, how are you doing?" I walk away from them. I don't have time for this garbage anymore. "Did she just walk right past us?"   
"Hmm..." Peridot runs right in front of me and she catches me off guard.

I slip and I fall onto the grass and dirt below. I glare at Peridot who continues to smile. I get up and I shove her our of the way. "Out of my way, clod!" Peridot hits the ground as I continue walking.

Suddenly, a feel a water hand grab me. "Whoops." I am sent flying into Lapis Lazuli. She holds me in her grip, monotone. "What is your problem, clod?"   
"Oh! So what are you going to do? Kill me? Go right ahead!"

Lapis lets me go and I run away from her. Peridot gets in the way again and I collide with her as we hit the ground. I cough along with her. "Ah!" We look down at each other.

"Uh..." I blush and I get off of Peridot. Peridot gets up from the ground and she pats the dirt off of her. Lapis lands next to us and she retracts her water wings. "Guys! Are you two okay?!" "Yeah. I'm fine, Lapis."

Lapis looks at me with concern. "I don't remember you ever being like this around us. What happened?" Yep. It's inevitable alright. But, I just can't tell them. I walk away from them. 

"Why is she acting this way?"   
"I'm not sure. We need her to stay with us for the time being. I don't like the idea of her travelling all alone like this. And especially in a mood like that."

"Should I go talk to her?"   
"No. I'll take care of this." I can hear her fly towards me. Once she lands, she tries to play it seriously. "So, since you're alone, why not stay with us for a while?" 

"Hmm..."   
"I'm pretty sure the Gems wouldn't mind that either, right?" The Gems? The Gems don't even care about me anymore. I sigh. "Yeah. Alright."


	10. Rude

Peridot starts a campfire as Lapis makes dinner. I sit on the car outside attached to a wacky new version of the barn. I'm watching Camp Pining Hearts. I really like the show so far.

Lapis flies up to me and she sits down. "Dinner's ready." I take the bowl of soup. But I can't say thanks. I can't say anything. Can I even try to be polite anymore?

Lapis frowns at me. "Uh...you're welcome?" I can't say anything. I eat the soup as I watch TV. "So, what happened?" I swallow hard on my last spoonful.

"Uh..." What do I say? Lapis and Peridot are the only family that I have left. How do you explain a murder? A crime? Something you can't fix? Something you shattered? Pearl.

"Amethyst? Are you okay?" I feel tears sliding down my cheeks as they drip into my soup. I don't know what to say. If I lie, I'll be figured out eventually. But if I tell the truth, will they understand?

I take another spoonful and Peridot comes up to meet us. "I made s'mores! Who wants some?" I take one and I put it in my mouth without warning. I know Peridot's giving me a disgusted look right now.

"Uh...manners?" I say nothing. "Amethyst?" I ignore her again. Lapis glares at me. "Amethyst, it's Peridot. She's asking if you liked the s'mores." No response from me.

She snaps her fingers in front of my face. "Amethyst?" Lapis raises a hand. I know what's coming. I brace myself for impact. Lapis slaps me across the face. "AMETHYST! STOP BEING RIDE AND TALK TO US ALREADY!"

Lapis gets the remote and she turns off the TV. "AMETHYST!" She sighs. "Peridot, leave us. I have a feeling that she's not on a safe journey." "Like Percy and Paulette?" Lapis nods.

Peridot leaves us to talk alone, privately. "Amethyst, please, we just want to help you. You're a Crystal Gem right?" That one term. Crystal Gem. It triggers me to my core.

I don't want to respond. I don't want to lose them. What will they think when they hear about me shattering one of our own? I don't even think Lapis will be able to understand.

I just...don't know. "Amethyst, please. Talk to me." Lapis reaches out for my hand. I know what she's offering. I slap the hand away in response. Lapis abruptly stands up as she glares down at me.

"Where in the cosmos did you ever think acting like this is okay?" I roll my eyes as I eat more soup. "Amethyst, you better talk to me soon. I don't like this new you."

She grits her teeth. "I don't know what happened to the original Amethyst. Funny, loose, always fun to be around. It's like you're her opposite twin or whatever!"

I eat more soup. Suddenly, the soup flies right into my face. I guess Lapis can control any kind of liquid or whatever. I get up. "AMETHYST!" I walk away back into the barn.


	11. Warmth

I walk over to the pool next to the barn. It may not be private, but it's something. I make sure no one's watching before I strip down and enter the water.

The water is sort of frigid. I wash my face until all of the soup is gone. I then try to wash the rest of my body. And then there's my back. It feels fragile and vulnerable to any injury.

I grab the soap I took from the barn and I start washing my back. Suddenly, I feel Eloc's presence nearby. Oh please no. Especially during a time like this.

"What is that?" I gasp and I quickly turn around to see Peridot. "Peri! Have you ever heard of the term privacy?!"   
"Oh. Uh, sorry, Amethyst. I just couldn't help but notice that thing on your back."

"What thing?!"   
"It appears to be black with lettering on it. Something like that. I can't see the whole thing. Maybe you could go underneath for a moment and expose your back?"

I blush. "Fine. I'll give you a minute." I go under the water for a minute while Peridot examines the thing on my back. The water has a much warmer feel below the suface than it does there.

But then I feel his cold, dark presence again. As if he's under here with me. Watching me and being the pervert he is, it would make perfect sense. After all, he did kill himself through fusion.

Fusion. I can never fuse again. Because I'm half-corrupted. Which means I can never feel love ever again? Or be loved by anyone? I really feel like drowning myself right now.

It would be a slow, painless, soothing death. Unfortunately, since I'm a Gem, I can't die except through shattering. I could just tie myself down here or something and stay encased in water.

But then Lapis would probably save me anyway. That would be horrific and absolutely embarrassing. Is a minute up yet? How long is a minute anyway? It seems like an eternity.

I think I'll just swim down here for a bit. I let my whole body sink before I start swimming through the water. It just feels so nice and warm in here. It's like love. Like fusion.

I let myself drift in the water as I think about all the good times. Well, all of the ones that actually meant something to me. I exhale, letting out some bubbles.

I close my eyes. I remember the first kiss and the last. Those were great. I open my eyes and I blush like crazy. Lapis is suspending me in midair in a bubble, exposing my natural body.

I scream at her and she drops me. I break the surface. "Peri! You stupid clod! Why didn't you keep track of time?! And why is Lapis here?!" 

"Uh...I thought you needed help."  
"Wow. Thanks, Peri."   
"You're not supposed to strip, Amethyst." I blush furiously. "Just give me my clothes!"


	12. Exposed

The three of us stare at each other in a one on two confrontation. It's like Garnet staring me down after I shattered Pearl. I...can't. I just can't. Why is everything always coming back to haunt me?!

I pull a whip out of my gem. I raise the whip, ready to strike. But my target isn't Peridot or Lapis, but myself. With tears, I lash the whip at my Gem. But I sink below the surface in time only to have it hit my face.

The whip drifts in the water. I will not go back up there. They can't make me. I let go of the whip before a start punching my gem, attempting to crack it and then shatter it. 

Each punch only made a small crack in my gem. I scream, letting out a torrent of bubbles. And then I tear up some more. But I can't feel the tears. I sink until I reach the ground.

I lie down on the dirt, arms outstretched, as I face my past life. I hate it up there. I never want to go back. Here, at least no one can bother me. Or perhaps no one other than a Gem.

Suddenly, someone breaks the surface. I look away and I sigh, letting out more bubbles. Lapis reaches the ground and she stares at me. But I don't stare at her.

I can't face her. I'm not blushing anymore. I've gone numb to the whole privacy thing now. She looks down at my gem, hardly damaged. She sits down and feels her fingers through the cracks.

She closes her eyes and then she opens them. She looks away, still holding her hand on my gem. She shakes her head. She then looks back up to the suface.

I finally decided to break the silence. I open my mouth to speak...but Lapis quickly covers my mouth. She then lets go and she stands up. She holds her hands up and something drifts down in the water.

I gasp. Lapis carefully hands me my clothes before swimming back up to the surface. I put my clothes back on as I swim to the surface. I break the surface and I cough a bit.

I crawl out of the pool and I join Lapis. "I...you...what were you doing down there?" She looks down. She shakes her head again. It's just like how Garnet did it.

"Lapis?" Lapis doesn't say anything. She walks back to the barn, fists clenched. I sit down and I look down at my gloves. I sigh and I cough out more water.

Peridot walks past me as she heads towards the barn. She doesn't look back at me. She doesn't say anything to me. She doesn't even make a gesture towards me. She just walks away.


	13. Confession

I get up and I walk in the same direction. "Peridot?" Peridot turns around, glaring. "So now you want to apologize. Is that it?" The moon starts rising and the sun starts to set. Thunder rumbles in the sky.

"Peri, I-!"   
"Don't Peri me, Amethyst. You knew better. We gave you our hospitality. We shared this cloddy old barn with you! I even made you s'mores! S'mores, Amethyst!"

I look down in shame. "And what do you do in return?! You backstab me AND Lazuli! You threw us under the bus and took everything for granted! Why did you do that?! Why were you acting like that?!"

I tear up as my voice cracks. "I just can't tell you! I can't tell you, alright?!"   
"Why?! What could possibly be so bad that you had to keep everything so quiet and moody for?!

And then I finally give it all up. "I'M NO LONGER A CRYSTAL GEM!" "What?" Peridot raises an eyebrow. "I FUSED WITH AN EYEBALL DEMON THROUGH FORCE AND THEN I RELEASED ALL OF THE CORRUPTED GEMS!"

I collapse. "AND THAT'S NOT EVEN THE WORST OF IT ALL! I BURNED DOWN THE TEMPLE AND THEN...AND THEN..."   
"Amethyst?"   
"I SHATTERED A CRYSTAL GEM!"

"You did WHAT?! Which one?!" I sit up and I yank my hair. "PEARL!" I pound the ground as heavy rain pours down on me and Peridot. Peridot stares at me in utter shock.

She shakes her head. I know she doesn't want to believe it. But that's the truth. "No." She looks away. "You couldn't have. Not you, Amethyst." I continue to tear up.

Lapis exits the barn and she walks up to us. She holds the answer to everything in her hands. I collapse at the sight of it. "We knew, Amethyst. We just didn't know that it was you."

I scream, yanking my hair. "Don't you get it?! I had to keep quiet! I had to be rude! I didn't want to lose you guys! You're the only family that I have left!" I crawl up to Lapis.

A flash occurs and for a moment, I see Garnet. "Please!" I look up at her the same way I did with Jasper. "Please!" I hold her leg and I squeeze it tight. "I can't go back! Garnet banned me!"

Lapis glares down at me. Her tone darkens in an unsettling whisper. "I've been trapped in a mirror for thousands of years. I've been alone, wishing I could be free."

Another flash. "Steven saved me! He helped me change! Didn't he help you?" I look over at Peridot, who folds her arms. "I uh..." I look down at the ground.

"I knew what you were up to the moment I saw the cracks in your gem. All of the clues add up. First, Pearl's shards appear in the barn, bubbled, and then you show up not even a day later."

I look back up at Lapis. "And then you push us aside and you reject everything. I've been there before. I knew what you have been feeling. You can't fool me, Amethyst!"

Another flash. "And then finally, you attempting to shatter yourself right in front of us in our pool!" She points down at my face. "And then that mark on your face is from your failed attempt."

The rain pours down even harder. "And finally, you show up with those flashy clothes on! We're not stupid, Amethyst! It was all your fault!" I squeeze her leg even tighter.

"Please...no."   
"Amethyst, you lied to us. And now, you're going to be sorry. You have until morning to get as far away from us as possible. If I ever see you again..."

And then I see Garnet. Lapis' voice and Garnet's resonate against my insides. I can't handle it. I feel myself shatter the minute I hear those words. "I'LL SHATTER YOU ON THE SPOT!"


	14. History

I open my eyes. Peridot is sitting next to me. I feel wet. The rain is no longer pouring down and the storm clouds have moved on to distant locations. I sit up as I feel water coming off my face.

Peridot doesn't look back at me. She stares at the sky and she sighs. "Amethyst, you're banned."   
"I've been banned."   
"Right. Look, Amethyst, I don't want to let this...thing ruin our friendship."

I stand up...but I feel dizzy. Peridot helps me sit down. She holds my back to keep me from lying down again. "I can't believe this." I look down. "I just feel like shattering myself more and more everyday."

"Yes. You want to shatter yourself. You admitted that yourself. But Amethyst, you had no right to do that in front of me or Lazuli. Especially in the pool Steven made for us."

"Uh...whoops." I blush, rubbing the back of my neck. I look up at the sky. "Is there anyway I could change her mind?" 

"I don't think so. However, there is one way but um...it's not the best one available."   
"But you just said there isn't any other way of regaining her trust."

"I thought about that. But this is the only one that I know about. I'm pretty sure Lazuli has been around other people for much longer than she has been with me."

"Or other Gems. Wait a minute! Jasper! She has been in the-!" Peridot covers my mouth. "Amethyst, no! That's another way to make her mad! But..." Peridot let's go of my mouth.

"Agh! What is this liquid substance in my hand?!"   
"Uh...saliva?"   
"That's gross, Amethyst!" I chuckle. "Sorry. I just couldn't help myself."   
"Yeaaahhhh. Okay. So, you said you were thinking about Jasper?"

"Yes. Where do you know where she is?"   
"I don't know. Last time I saw her, I was back on the ship that you Crystal Clods destroyed after taking her down. I got out through an escape pod."

"Well, she's been around. First, she was Malachite for a while, fused with Lapis. She was at the bottom of the ocean for a while and then she just rose to the surface and wrecked an island."

"Is that it?"   
"Not even close. Malachite unfused and an earthquake occurs. I saved Lapis from falling into a crack between the rocks."   
"You mean a fissure?" 

"Yeah. Pearl on the other hand, was too late."  
"So what happened to her after that?" "She came back. According to Pearl...Pearl..." A tear drop slides down right down my cheek. "P...P...earl..."   
"Amethyst? Are you okay?" 

I choke on my tears. "I'm...I'm fine." I sniff. "I'm sorry. Anyway, she said that Jasper was hunting corrupted gems. She seems to have collected two of them. I was on the beach one night with Steven and Connie. We were just having some fun and then..."

More tears. "I saw this huge brown one attacking them, so I saved them. I rounded her up and I got her away from Jasper's reach. But when the real Jasper rose from the surface, after so long, it was horrifying."

"What happened after that?"   
"I got myself into a fight with her. While Steven and Connie took down a bluer version of the other monster, I stood up to Jasper. I thought I could take her down all by myself."

"But you were wrong." I nod my head. "It was scarring. I didn't know what to do. All of the fun and good times have all been drained from my memory. I was poofed not long after it. She was going to shatter me according to... Steven."

My face is streaming with tears. "He saved me and when I saw Stevonnie taking down Jasper, I couldn't believe it. Jasper went right back into the ocean after I came back from a more careful rush of regeneration."

"And that was it?" I shake my head. "Me and Steven had a fight. Neither of us won and we really did hurt each other...a lot. I forgot what happened after that."   
"Hmm...so, why do you want to find Jasper?"

"I need closure, Peri. And I'm going to get that closure by taking her down myself. I have everything I need. Her power is nothing now compared to mine. I may have been a weakling before." I stand up.

"But now, I'm stronger than her. So she better watch out. Because I'm coming to get her." Peridot looks down. "There's only one other location she might be at right now." I quickly focus my attention on her.

"Where?!"   
"The Beta Kindergarten in Facet 9. I can escort you through the place if you want-!"   
"No...Peri. I need to see this for myself. Just warp me over there and I'll take care of the rest."


	15. Beta

We walk over to the warp pad. I step onto it and from a distance, I can see Lapis staring at me. She's not glaring anymore. She appears to be looking down. She shakes her head and she walks back inside the barn.

What I'm going to do is going to hurt her...and Jasper. I'm going to her Kindergarten. I didn't even know a second Kindergarten existed. All this time, I thought my Kindergarten was the only one around.

Peridot warps us over to the Kindergarten. In not even a minute, we arrive in a flash. I shield my eyes from the bright sunlight. "Here we are. Jasper's origin. The Beta Kindergarten."

I look around. "It's red."   
"No kidding. Come on. You'll really get a kick out of this." She steps off the warp pad and she starts walking off. I clear my throat. "Ahem! Where do you think you're going?"

Peridot looks back at me with an eye squinting. "What?"   
"Didn't you say that you were just going to warp me over here?" I step off the warp pad. Peridot looks around. "Uh...I felt like sightseeing."

"Peri, go back to the barn. This is my fight to deal with, not yours."   
"But, I just felt like showing you around the place. It's more of a joke than it is a battlefield. You see these deformed holes?"

"They're everywhere."   
"These are the holes in which defective Quartz came out of. All of them. It's definitely not as nice as your Kindergarten, Amethyst. This place has its flaws. You haven't seen everything just yet."

She keeps walking and I follow her. "Peri, wait! Don't just walk away!" I catch up with her. "The thing about this place is that it was a total rush job unlike the Prime Kindergarten in Facet 5, your Kindergarten.

"Yours obviously came second. This was just a test for the Prime Kindergarten. Homeworld analyzed it's flaws and they made better injectors and better placement for each gem to grow out of. 

"Yours has even spacing, great location and overall, a better Kindergarten. Just be glad you weren't made here. This Kindergarten is like your exact opposite. It's a joke, honestly. You see that one over there?"

Peridot points at a nearby hole. "It's huge. She must've came out sideways. Let me examine it for you. The only thing I was interested in before was the Kindergartens and their history. I came to Earth for a reason."

"So it wasn't just to check on the Cluster?"   
"Nope. I also wanted to see this place for myself. I've been here before. But not in a sightseeing manner unlike now."   
"What happened the first time?"

"Me and an entire platoon of Peridots were on a mission. There were five of us including myself, the leader. The signature visor proves it all." Peridot's visor glistens in the sunlight.

"Wow. So, how did you know about the Kindergartens?"   
"I studied them back on Homeworld. I then finished my research with the help of my limb enhancers. After the ship crashed, I decided to log in my own research."

"So if you had a platoon, then what happened to it?"   
"My platoon is back on Homeworld, safe and sound. I only came to Earth alone because Jasper assigned this mission herself. She only needed the best one."

I look around. "Uh, Peridot, what is this?" Peridot looks up. "Wait a minute. These holes aren't supposed to look like that." She ran over to the one closet to us. "It's been dug out, recently."

We runs over to where all of the holes are coming from. "Oh my stars. This isn't good."   
"Are these...cages?" I look into one and a hand reaches out to grab me. Peridot drags me out of way in time.

"They're cages alright. For corrupted gems."   
"Woah." I look around to see a hole that's giant. "Uh, Peri, whose hole is this?" I point to the giant hole in the wall to my right. "Jasper." I clench my fists.

"Amethyst, this is the only hole that was done right. And it was the last one made here as well. It's perfect. The spacing, the placement, the size. I've never seen an exit hole this perfect."

I glare down the path ahead. "Jasper must be nearby, if these cages were made recently, then that could only mean one thing." We hear a clanging sound and we run towards it.


	16. Payback

Peridot reaches her first. She stops in her tracks and she stands there in shock. I know. Peridot hasn't seen Jasper since the ship crashed a few months ago.

Peridot keeps her distance as I walk up to her. We watch carefully as Jasper appears to be talking to a corrupted gem. "Pipe down!" She kicks the iron bars of the cage.

The two of us don't flinch. "You take orders from me now. You used to be Quartz too, didn't you? What happened to you?" The corrupted gem rushes into the bars in response. 

"Heh! Disgraceful! I can't believe I resorted to recruiting you freaks! You're almost as bad as that Crystal runt." I know that she's referring to me. "Just look at you. This planet ruins everything." 

Jasper smiles as she shrugs in her posture. "Well, heh heh. Except for me." I start to make a move on Jasper. I walk over to her. I don't use the cliff. I just walk right up to her. 

"I'll never let this planet twist me like it twisted you." She kneels down on one knee. "You suffer because it's what you deserve. We all get what we deserve."

There is no way she can tell that I'm here right now. But how to get a cheap-shot on her? If I try to shock her, she'll notice. If I try to whip her, she'll notice. If I do anything, she'll notice.

I only have one option: attack directly. I walk right up next to Jasper. I jump up and I kick Jasper in the back if the head. "Googh!" She falls over, face first. She then gets up. "Cheap-shot, runt!"

I ignite my hand with sparks. But before I could shock Jasper, she knocks me away with her helmet. I fly right into Peridot and we collide with each other. Jasper walks right up to us as I get up from the impact. 

"You!" She points a finger at me. "You're that runt from the beach. What are you doing wearing that pathetic outfit on? I've never seen you wear that before." I know what Jasper is thinking.

Right now, the reason I'm wearing those clothes is because I am attached to them. Eloc's mentality melded with mine to create the mind of a genious and a psychopath along with a depressed "runt" at the same time. 

I don't want to take off these clothes as much as I want to. One, they're my only clothes. Two, what happened last night at the barn. And three, I actually feel kind of comfortable in these. I have decided to lie.

"I like this outfit. Don't judge-"   
"And where is Rose?! Why isn't she with you?!"   
"Rose isn't here right now! It's just me and Peridot. Look, we don't have to fight!" I gasp at what I just said.

"We don't have to fight?" Jasper repeats the last line in a tone of confusion. "Why wouldn't I want to fight?"   
"Jasper, you're not the ultimate Quartz. I am!" 

"But, you were made wrong! You can't-" I shock Jasper with a blast of electricity. "You think you're so special?!" I walk up to Jasper, fists crackling with sparks. Jasper collapses and she looks up at me in...fear? 

She backs away into the cage with the corrupted gem. "How?! Only a fusion can do that! Where did you learn to do that, runt!" I lash out my whip in response. "I'm...not...A RUNT!" 

Jasper fails to defend herself, taking the beating that she deserves. I zap her again...and again...and again. I then punch her nose as she tries to recover from the assault. 

Her gem cracks and she looks up at me in horror. "No." She feels her nose and she gasps. "I..." She looks behind her to see the corrupted gem. "I must fuse!" 

I zap her again and she collapses, failing to reach the corrupted gem. I walk right up onto Jasper and step right onto the back of her head. "Sorry, Jasper. But this is what you deserve." 

I raise my foot. I ignite it with sparks and I slam it right down on Jasper. I hear an explosion from right underneath. "You're the one whose the joke." I bubble Jasper's gem and I turn around to see that Peridot's gone.


	17. Healing

I look out into the distance for Peridot. "Peridot? Peridot? Peridot!" I look down at my hand. Jasper's gem is finally bubbled away in my hands, cracked. What an achievement.

All this time, I never actually thought that I could beat her like Steven and Connie did. It just feels so amazing. Is it wrong to feel this way? I start walking alone through the Kindergarten.

I continue to call out to Peridot. "Peridot? Peri! Peri Peridot! Peridot Peri! Peri!" No response. I look back down at the bubble in regret. I'm alone in a place that I didn't even know about until today.

This is bad. What if something tries to get me? I continue to watch hands grasp iron bars as eyes flash all around me. I look back down at the gem again.

I keep walking. This time, in tears. I feel so alone in all of this. Where is everyone? Why was this place abandoned? Was what I just did to Jasper the best thing I could've done to her as a means of payback?

I wait for an answer. "Ugh! I can't take it anymore!" I pop Jasper's bubble. The gem glows as it regenerates a glitching Jasper. She stares at me in fear and then in anger. "YOU! HOW COULD A RUNT LIKE YOU-!"

She glitches and she clutches her stomache. "Jasper, I need your help. I'm stuck out here all alone and Peridot's abandoned us. And...your gem!" I point at Jasper's nose. Her gem is still cracked.

I press my gloved hand to my forehead. "Oh man! I overdid it. Your gem is cracked!" Jasper grunts. "Obviously! Do something!" I look around. "We need to get out of here first." Jasper clutches her stomache with more force.

She continues to glitch out. "This feeling...this pain...this torture...what...is this? What did you-gah! Do TO ME?!" She closes her eyes and she squints. "Do you know a way out of here?" Jasper opens her eyes.

"Take the pass...through here!" She points to her right. "Then go straight ahead and take a left and then a right." I follow Jasper's directions carefully. I take out my whip. "Do you mind if I bubble you for a bit?"

Jasper shakes her head. "Yes! But...this pain! This...someone!" I poof Jasper without warning. She's easier to poof now that she's corrupted. I run over to her gem and I bubble it. "Don't worry, Jasper. I'm going to heal you."

I smile at the comment. It feels good. But then something doesn't feel right. Eloc! Don't you dare! I run down the pass and then a left and then I pause for a minute. "Right!" I run down on the right pass and up the staircase to the warp pad.

I pant, holding Jasper's gem...and life, let alone fate, above my right hand. The warp pad activates. I need to heal Jasper. I just gotta do something right for once. There are only two ways to do it though.

One, going to Rose's Fountain. I could take Jasper's gem to the fountain and heal her in the water. Unfortunately, the fountain only works in the spring. And since it's summer, that option is completely out of the question.

I really don't want to take the second option. But it's either that, or keep Jasper in a bubble, permanently. The second option...is through Steven. I haven't seen him for a couple days.

It seems like an eternity to me. Ever since the night Pearl was shattered, Steven couldn't even look me in the eye. He glared at me and ran away to the beach. And then Garnet...

If I get caught by the only other Crystal Gem left, I will get shattered on the spot...and then harvested. And Garnet never goes back on her promises. If I'm caught, it's all over for me. No mercy.

I take a deep breath. "Ready, Jasper?" I stare at the bubble and I tear up. "I did this. And now, I'm going to either fix my mistakes or get shattered trying." I hold a hand out. "Let's do this." I let go of the warp.


	18. Plan

I appear on the warp pad inside the temple. I look around, tearing up. "Oh no." I feel myself getting a headache. I clutch my forehead and I close my eyes for a moment. I didn't come back here for a death wish.

I set the bubble down. "Wait here." I run off the warp pad as I head out of the temple. I need to find Steven. But how am I going to convince him to help me out? How will he react? Will Garnet be over where he is? Oh man. I stop for a moment.

There's only one way I'll be able to do this. I've been doing it for like my entire life. Shapeshifting. It's a power that all Gems possess. However. I was the best of the team. Shapeshifting is something I have easily mastered in my early years.

I mainly used it for fun though. I used it for pranks, jokes, and other ridiculous stuff. However, shapeshifting is really dangerous to perform. I have put Steven's life at risk multiple times. None of those times were pretty.

Now let's see. Steven has healing tears like Rose. No wait! He uses his mouth! His spit! But how do I get him to spit? Maybe...no. That's definitely not going to work.

Or...no. He's never gonna believe it. Maybe if I show him...forget it. There's just no way. However, I remember clearly from past experiences that Steven was really careless at times. He generally gets caught off guard.

Maybe I can use a distraction. Something that seems fun but misleading. I'm not gonna get new clothes for this. I don't want to get rid of these as much as want to. Wait! I could disguise myself further!

I run into town to find a store that sells weird dress-up stuff. I don't care about the name. Just what's inside it. I see a pile of masks on a table. I grab one...and then I discard it. "Too obvious." And again. "Too scary."

And once more. "Too...perfect." I smile. I put on a funny mask. A clown type. Steven isn't afraid of clowns I don't think. However, if he did develop that fear recently, I'm gonna lose him.

I run out of the store with the mask as I shapeshift into a No Home boy. I read the book that brought up the idea to runaway one day out of curiosity. The same day I...no. Please not now.

I push the thought aside and I walk down the boardwalk. I also got another item from inside the store that will ensure my success. If everything goes well, I'll be able to take zero percent backlash from this stunt.

I'll even be able to have fun with Steven...one last time. I decided to check the Big Donut. He's not inside. I then walk over to Fish Stew's Pizza. He's not there either. I checked all over town for him.

"Oh no. Please no." There is one last place that I haven't checked yet. The beach itself. I run out of the town to see one individual sitting on the sand, staring out into the crystal blue sea ahead of him.


	19. Game

I notice the pink shirt and the haircut. The chubby body, everything. Sure enough, it is Steven. I approach him with caution. I let go of the form for a moment to breathe and sweat like the nervous wreck I am.

I then shapeshift again and I walk over towards Steven. I put on my best smile and I clear my throat. "Hey little man!"   
"Ah!" Steven jumps, startled by my unexpected entrance. "Woah!" Steven's eyes shine with stars.

"Are you...a No Home boy?" I nod and Steven smiles. "Hi. I'm Steven." He puts out a hand and we shake on it. "Wanna play a game of...Spitoon?" I spit into the pan I'm holding up.

"I can do you one better." Steven spits into the pan. Score! However, one spit ball isn't going to cut it. I put the pan down. "You're on!" I spit into the pan and so does he. We play a few rounds. Steven laughs as I chuckle.

I tear up from behind the mask. Just like good times. "Alright! Final shot! Winner take all!" Wait, what? I didn't bet on anything! What's going on? "If I win, I'll take your spit pan." Steven! No! No way!

I try to keep calm. It's a good thing I've got a mask on. Otherwise, he'd clearly see that something was up. From behind the mask, I'm sweating and I'm struggling to keep calm. I can't hold the form much longer.

"And if you win, I'll give you my No Home Boys book. Ready?" I get ready to spit while Steven goes in for the taking first. He builds up all the spit he could gather and sends it flying right down into the pan.

He wipes his mouth with his hand. "Beat that!" Oh boy. Welp, this is it. It's go big or go home with a bubbled gem. Jasper's fate all depends on this final shot. I gather all the spit I could as I feel my form starting to give way. No! Not yet!

I keep going. "There's no rush. I'm still going to win anyway. I'm the best there is here in Beach City." Not today, Steven. I get ready to spit as I take all of the pain and stress that's building up inside of me. 

Finally, I spit with such a force that the pan overflows with spit. I then collapse. "Woah! No way! I can never do that! Maybe Amethyst can, but I guess you won fair and square. I'll be right back with my book. Stay right there."


	20. Chased

Well, looks like that's it. It's not. My form finally gives away. I bail and ditch the plan. I collapse in my normal form right in front of Steven. Everything stood silent for a moment.

Steven widens his eyes, gasping as he takes a step back. "What the-!" He steps up to me and he reaches for my mask. He pulls it away from my face and he grits his teeth.

"Amethyst?" I gulp. "Heh heh heh. Whoops." I grab the pan and I run. "It was nice playing with you! Goodbye, Steven!"   
"WHAT?!" I run back to the temple as I hear Steven chasing me from behind.

We both pant as we race to the temple. "I'm not letting you get away, Amethyst! Not this time!" I can hear him summoning his shield. I keep running and I don't look back. I duck as the sheild flies right over my head.

The temple isn't far now. "Why do you want my spit?!" I can't answer. If I do, I'll lose speed or worse, stamina. I run up the steps. "AMETHYST!" Steven stomps on them as I get on the warp pad. I pick up the bubble and I immediately warp away to safety.

I pant as I hold the spit pan and the bubble. I breathe heavy breaths as I hold the bubble to my chest. "There, Jasper. I risked everything for you. You owe me big time!" I let go of the warp and I collapse on the barn's warp pad.

Lapis and Peridot run up to me. "AMETHYST!" I get up, grunting and panting. I step off the warp pad. "I...I'm never...doing that...ever again." "What happened?"   
"Why is Jasper's gem cracked?"   
"What is that thing?" 

I pop the bubble and Jasper's gem starts glowing. The two gasp in anger. "What did you do?!"   
"Why did you do that?!" I reach into the spit pan containing mine and Steven's spit and I slap it on Jasper's gem before she completely reforms.

She gets up and looks around. She sees Lapis and Peridot. She then turns around to face me. I collapse again, panting and coughing. I bubble the pan and I tap the top to send it into the barn.

I stuggle to get up and then I see Jasper offer me a hand. My eyes shine in the the sunset. Jasper smiles. "Looks like I underestimated you, Amethyst. Thank you." I smile back as I cough.

Lapis and Peridot just stare at us, speechless by what just happened. "I can't believe it."   
"Did she really reform her?" I take Jasper's hand to get up from the ground. "Heh. Welcome to the barn, Jasper."


	21. Defensive

The sun sets on the barn as Jasper sits on the small hill I once sat on. The hill that WE sat on. Pearl, Garnet and myself. It was during a time of peace and love on the planet Earth.

I walk up to Jasper and I sit down next to her. "So, how are you doing?" Jasper sighs. "Are you okay?" I try to reassure her with a smile. Jasper just stares at the sunset, appearing to not notice my presence.

However, since I'm right next to her, she has to have noticed me. And why isn't she talking to ME? I just saved her from the pendulum of fate and this is how she repays me?

I punch her in the side. She then looks to her right to see me. She glares and clenches her fists in response. "What did you do that for, runt?!"  
"Jasper, I'm trying to talk to you."

Jasper then shrugs and looks back on the sunset. I can feel a light breeze brush against us as our hair sways together in unison. "Why are you so upset? Shouldn't you be happy that you're here?"

"You don't get it, Amethyst."   
"Don't get what?"   
"The reason why I'm so upset right now. Have you forgotten what I've even done to you guys?" I look down. I get it now.

"I don't deserve any of this. I hurt all of you. I abused Peridot, I fused with Lapis and I strangled her and fought with her for months in the bottom of the ocean as Malachite."

"So? That was in the past. Why can't you learn to let go of that now?" Jasper chuckles sarcastically. "Like you are doing that yourself?" I glare at her. "I'm trying, Jasper."

"Well it looks like you aren't trying enough, Amethyst. I heard about what happened to you the previous night. Trying to shatter yourself all because you loved someone who gave you nothing more than affection."

I growl and I abruptly stand up. "It wasn't just affection, Jasper! She cared about me!"   
"That's right, runt! She cared about you and nothing more! She never loved you. She's always hated you! No matter what."

"Who are you referring to, Jasper?" "What couldn't be more obvious than the shattered, defective Pearl!" I lunge into Jasper and I try to punch her in the nose. She throws me off and we stay like that for a moment.

I breathe in choked sobs. I tear up as I remember Pearl once more, wishing that I have never shattered her. "I'm sorry." Jasper gets up and walks away. I watch Jasper walk back into the barn as nightfall sets in over Beach City.


	22. Faults

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter includes the first song I ever made for the fandom and this series. I'm not that proud of it, but it does leave room for improvement.

I walk into the barn to meet up with the others. No one's in there other than Lapis. She doesn't look back at me. "Lapis? Where's Peridot and Jasper?" Lapis doesn't respond as she makes dinner.

I walk out of the barn in disgust, remembering what happened the previous night. She apparently hates me right now and she's giving me a taste of my own medicine. Fine. I see how it is. I walk away from the barn.

I stop near the hill. I sit down. I sigh. "Why? Why did this have to happen...  
to me?" I sigh and I start a tune as I look at up at the night sky above me with remorse.

_"It's all my fault."_

I get up as a light breeze brushes against the my hair, making it sway a bit. 

_"Why is it all my fault?"_

I walk away as I shiver, even though I have a jacket on. 

_"It just couldn't have been mine._  
_It couldn't have been mine."_

I look into the barn where Lapis is still making dinner. 

_"I used to be one of them."_

My Gem shines in the moonlight. 

_"A crystal shining away in the darkness._ _I kept everything to myself._  
_I didn't care on what went wrong._  
_I didn't care how I wronged."_

__

I turn away to look back at the sky.

_"I only cared...that it's all my fault._  
_I did the worst and now I must suffer...alone."_

I can see an apparition of Eloc in the sky and I grit my teeth for a moment. 

_"But I'm never alone."_

I can see myself picking up the shards and then crushing them in my hand. 

_"The faults of the past keep entering my mind._  
_And I can't do anything about it._  
_I can't forget about them."_

I can see all of my past mistakes with me causing Steven to get into trouble. From the time I messed around with him to him seriously getting hurt over stretching for too long on his birthday.

_"All the stupid things things that I have caused."_

I can see Pearl firing at me with her spear in the Kindergarten from that time me and Steven ran away for a bit. 

_"I always do everything wrong._  
_From the past to the present to the future."_

I can see the temple burning down in flames. 

_"I can not fix what I have shattered._  
_It's all my fault._  
_I did what I had to._  
_I never wanted things to be this way."_

I can see myself kissing Pearl. 

_"It wasn't part of the plan."_

We smiled after we let go. 

_"It wasn't part of my plan."_

Pearl frowns and she dissapears as I try to reach out for her. 

_"It all just happened to us...and it's all my fault."_

I sigh. A hand is placed on my shoulder. I look over to see Lapis standing next to me. She doesn't smile or give me any response. We just stand there like that. "It's okay, Amethyst. It wasn't all your fault." 

"But, Lapis, it was all my fault. I did all of that."  
"I know. But it wasn't your intent. I know that you're half-fusion. I know how it feels. I've been fused as Malachite for months. I've always hated myself because I felt that it was all my fault that I ended up like that."

"But, was it really all your fault? Or are you just saying that to make me feel better?"  
"Maybe both. But I knew that the whole Malachite thing wasn't all my fault. You need to let that go, Amethyst. You said it yourself."

I sigh. "Will I ever be loved again, Lapis? Pearl's gone and I just feel so alone right now. I just don't know anymore." Lapis smiles. "Look, if you want to be loved again, you'll be loved again. Someday."

"I hope you're right, Lapis. I'm sorry." "It's alright, Amethyst. Come on. Dinner's almost ready." We walk back to the barn together. "It's gonna be okay, Amethyst. You just need to let it go." I take a deep breath. "Thanks, Lapis."


	23. Rematch

I open my eyes as I wake up to the next eventful day. I sit up, rubbing my eyes. I then get up and I head out the barn. I take in the morning breeze and I smile.

Suddenly, a hand picks me up and hurls into the barn. "Oof! Ah! What the heck?!" I get up to see Jasper. "Jasper?!" Jasper walks up to me. "You cheated!"   
"What?!" I get up as Jasper kicks me away from her.

I get up again and I stare at her, flabbergasted from my rude awakening. "What?! How?!"   
"You never told me you were half fusion!"   
"H-how did you find out about that?!"  
Jasper summons her helmet.

"It doesn't matter. I'll still beat you in a rematch!" She charges towards me and I spin dash out of the way. I yawn. "Jasper, can we do this later? I just woke up."   
"That's the point, runt!"

She spin dashes towards me. I facepalm. "Oh geez." I zap Jasper and she screams. "NO! I WILL NOT BE BEATEN BY ANOTHER FUSION! I...I JUST NEED SOMEONE TO FUSE WITH!"

She looks outside and she charges out. I walk out to see where she ran off to. I gasp. I shake my head quickly to knock the sleep out of me and I run after Jasper. "Oh. Morning, Jasper." "Lapis! Watch out!"   
"What?!"

Too late. Jasper grabs Lapis and they fuse into the horrible fusion itself. Malachite. I gasp as I back away. Malachite laughs and looks down at me. 

"Well what do you know! Fusion versus fusion! St-stop! What are you doing?! I'm going to beat this runt down in a rematch! After that, we'll unfuse! What?! Rematch?! No!" Malachite summons a water hand and she launches it towards me.

I spin dash towards Malachite as the fist lands right where I was standing. "You're going down this time!" She summons more water, but she holds it still in mid-air, waiting to fire. She looks around.

Meanwhile, I'm underneath her as I pull a whip out of my gem. "Ugh! This is just disgusting! Especially for a rematch that I didn't even agree to! Unfuse us this instant!

Malachite shakes her head. "No! We can beat her...if we stay together! I'm done with this! Just...let me...OUT!" Malachite shakes and shivers as the fusion tries to break itself apart. I spin dash in between the legs and I pull.

Malachite trips and she falls to the ground, head first. I jump up onto Malachite's chest as I run towards her nose gem. "I'm sorry, guys!" I punch the gem and Malachite poofs, releasing Jasper and Lapis.

I land on the ground and I fold my arms. "Huh. That was surprisingly easy." I smile and then I walk over towards the fallen companions. Lapis gets up, gasping. She then growls. "I can't believe you made me do that."

She gets up and shakes a fist towards Jasper. "AGAIN!" She storms over to her and she stomps on her gem, cracking it. "Lapis, what the heck! You made Malachite hold back!" 

"Then you shouldn't have done that in the first place! I just...why?!" She runs back into the barn, horrified. "Lapis!" I walk over to Jasper and I sit down. "Wow. You are just so ungrateful, you know that?!"

Jasper growls. "I don't get it anymore." I facepalm. "I risked my life just to save you. I was going to be SHATTERED, Jasper! SHATTERED!" Jasper doesn't respond.

"I then tried to talk to you. Get to know you a little more, like sisters. But no! You just don't want to talk, is that it?!" I hear an engine...but I ignore it. Must be some car nearby. "You just want to fight?!"

Jasper still doesn't respond. "Just let me help you, Jasper! Just let us help you!" Jasper smiles. "Now aren't you the hypocrite." She chuckles as I scream in frustration. I zap Jasper over and over again.

I hear steam. I then hear a hatch open. I zap Jasper until she poofs as she stays smiling. I bubble Jasper and I hold her in my right hand. "You're going to stay in here until you've learned your lesson." I turn around.

My eyes widen. "Well, well, well. My suspicions were right after all." I am standing, face to face, with the eyeball Ruby. She smiles as she stands in an open doorway from the Roaming Eye. "I knew you were still here, Jasper."


	24. Abuse

The Rubies march out of their pod, one by one. I stand still as the Rubies stare and talk to one another. The eyeball Ruby speaks first. "AHA! See guys?! I knew it! I knew it all along!"

The Ruby smiles with a hint of joy and relief in her raspy voice. "Finally! My next clue to hunting down the mighty Rose Quartz." All of the other Rubies start snickering...and then they start laughing.

"Eyeball! That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard coming out of YOUR mouth all day!" The Ruby with the yellow visor steps out as everyone else stops laughing.

"You still couldn't handle the truth can you, Eyeball?" Eyeball growls. "Stop calling me that! My name is Ruby 1F4 CUT-"   
"Blah blah blah. We get it! Now, I'm assuming that you've forgotten what just happened?"

Eyeball turns away from her. "I was just promoted by Yellow Diamond herself to Commanding Ruby! That means I have control over each and every one of you dumb Rubies that was ever made from Homeworld. And last time I checked, that is all of you!"

The Ruby smiles and chuckles. "And I was even given my own nickname! From now on, you will have to call me Doc! And as for you..." Doc slaps Eyeball across the face. "You are out of line."

Eyeball presses her hand on the mark and she winces. "Aw, poor Eyeball. You need a tear? You need someone to cry for you? You want Rose Quartz?" The other Rubies laugh again to the comment.

Eyeball blushes. "How pathetic! You really think you're something special, Eyeball?! You think you can be everything someone wants you to be? No one would even care about you! Not even your Pearl."

Eyeball steps up to Doc. "You're wrong. I can be great! I can be...adventurous!" I look up, finally seeing a clearer picture. "I can be pretty...strong...and even hard..." My eyes light up. "core." My jaw drops in awe as my eyes light up with stars.

"Yeeeeah...no!" Another slap. "You ain't nothin' more than a dumb Ruby! You're a soldier and nothin' more you pathetic clod! Give up on your search! You'll never be a legend! You'll never be loved by anyone!"

Eyeball puts her foot down. "I wasn't made to follow YOUR orders, Doc! I'm special!"   
"Because you are a clod! You can't do anything right!" She jabs a finger into Eyeball's eye. "You're nothin' more than a low-cut defect."

Eyeball tears up. "I'll prove you wrong...someday."   
"Dream on you cry baby! You care about Jasper so much? You care about Rose Quartz so much? You just want them in your little hands, don't you?"

Doc shoves Eyeball out of the way. "You have no idea how much time and effort it took me to reach the top. It takes...pain...loyalty...and a few important missions. And not only that but-!"

"You're only the commander because the previous commander got shattered, remember?"   
"Well then, in that case, I'll have to make things more strict! You'll be reported for you're incompetent behavior!"

Eyeball growls. "Why can't you guys just listen to me?!" Doc takes something out and holds it up to Eyeball's neck. "You know what this is?"   
"A Priming Gem Distabilizer."   
"That's right."

Eyeball glares at her. "Listen soldier, I don't appreciate the way you're acting right now and I don't think the Diamonds would like it either. So if you want to keep your physical form in tact let alone your life, then I suggest you get your act together and do it quickly."

Eyeball tears up. "Get a dang grip, soldier!" More slaps. I've had enough. I can't bare to watch this poor, seemingly cool dude get abused like this. I step up to Doc. "Hey!"

She jumps back in surprise. She obviously forgot that I was there the entire time. "Leave her alone!" Eyeball runs away. "Well isn't that just great! We're losing one of our members already!"

Doc grabs me by the shirt and she thrusts my body towards her. "You shouldn't have done that." She holds the distabilizer up to my own neck. "Now you're gonna regret it. BIG TIME!"


	25. Outnumbered

I immediately thrust a fist at Doc, charged with electricity. Doc yelps and immediately lets go of my shirt. I now stand face to face in a one on four battle with the Rubies.

"Lucky. Let's see you try to get out of this!" Doc grabs one Ruby's arm and then another's. The last one holds the Rubies up. I smirk. I just defeated Malachite. There's no way I can lose to THEIR fusion.

The Rubies fuse into a giant Ruby. Only this time, Eyeball isn't fused with them, leaving two eyeballs behind Doc's visor. The giant lets out a roar as I spin dash towards her. 

I get underneath her and I pull out my trusty whip. I spin dash around her, making a figure eight. I then pull and the fusion lands on its stomache. "Oof!" The giant growls. I jump up onto it's back.

I then run towards the head. Suddenly, light engulfs the Ruby and Doc strikes the destabilizer towards my chest. I gasp and another Ruby pushes me out the way. Another Ruby starts punching me across the face.

I jab an electric fist into her stomache, making her poof. I get up and two more Rubies charge towards me. "Pfft!" I lash out at the Ruby with the gem on its leg. The whip latches onto her leg and I send her flying into Doc.

Doc gets knocked over as the other Ruby shoves me down to the ground. She summons a weapon. I gasp and I move my head out of way as the ground breaks next to me. I then try to jab another fist in.

The Ruby catches it and she chuckles. "They don't call me a good arm for nothing!" She smashes her arm plate into my face. I can feel my face burning from the impact.

The Ruby does it again as I charge my fist with electricity. Each hit feels like another weight added onto my cheek. I can hear Rubies screaming nearby. I hear...poofing? Suddenly, the Ruby laughing above me also poofs.

In her place, stands Eyeball. She picks up her gem and places it over to a pile of Ruby gems. I press a hand against my face as Doc walks up to us. "You've got a lot of nerve talking back to me."

She glares at Eyeball. "I can't believe you had the absolute gall to go against your own team and fight against us like that. You truly are one worth shattering." She whips out the distabilizer.

"I'M GOING TO SHATTER BOTH OF YOU!" She raises the distabilizer and I zap Doc, knocking her back. Eyeball then strikes her...knife? Into Doc's chest, poofing her. I walk over to Doc and I attempt to bubble her.

"No! Don't. Put her on the pile with the other Ruby gems." I pick up the gem and I take it over to the pile. I then place it down. "Ok. Now you can bubble it." I pick up the pile and I create a single bubble for all of them.

I tap the top and the bubble dissapears. I look over at Eyeball. She smiles. "Uh...thanks for saving me back there."  
"Eh, it was nothing." Peridot runs towards us with Lapis right behind her.

"What happened? Who is that?" I look over to Eyeball. "It's okay. I'm on your side. The others are...somewhere." "They're bubbled. All of them." Lapis walks towards the barn as Peridot walks up to us.

"So you came back, huh? I knew Steven's Neptune excuse wouldn't last." She shakes her head. "Yeah. We're kind of stupid." I give Eyeball a nudge. 

"Not you, Eyeball! You totally annihilated them! A stupid Ruby can never do that." I give her a reassuring smile. She smiles back...and then she frowns. "Where's Jasper? I saw you with her gem. It was bubbled and you sent it off somewhere."

Peridot raises an eyebrow and faces me. "Amethyst, what happened while I was gone this morning?"  
"Uh..."  
"Hey, guys, we got an entire pile of gems in a bubble inside the barn!"

Eyeball looks over to me. "The barn?!" She facepalms. "Of course! Where else could she have went?!" She runs towards the barn and I follow right behind her. "Eyeball, wait!"


	26. Memoir

Eyeball enters the barn before I can stop her. She looks up at Jasper's bubble and she jumps. "Eyeball! Stop!" She laughs as she releases Jasper's gem from her bubble.

She then starts to reform. I jump up to grab the spit pan. I drop back down with it and I pop the bubble to release the object. I then dip a hand into the pan and I pat the spit on Jasper's gem as it reforms.

Finally, Jasper drops down to the ground and she stares at us. Eyeball's eye lights up in awe. "Yes! YES! Finally! After all this time! I finally get the chance to-!"   
"ENOUGH!" 

Jasper looks from me to Eyeball. "What is that?" She points at Eyeball. "Jasper!" She clears her throat. "I'm Ruby 1F4-CUT-4ND. I fought in the war for Earth." Jasper looks closely at the gem in place of Eyeball's right eye.

"So you did, huh? Then you must remember what happened there, correct?" Eyeball looks down. "I do...but..." She grabs her own arm and rubs it a bit.

Jasper glares at her. "Explain." She folds her arms. "If you've been around during the Gem War, then you should understand almost everything that had happened." Eyeball steps up to her. "I do."

Jasper snaps her fingers. "Amethyst! Stay here. You really need to listen to this." I sit down. "You! Little guy!" She snaps to Eyeball. Eyeball turns around. "My name is...Eyeball, Jasper."

Jasper nods. "Fine. Begin." Eyeball clears her throat. She turns around to face me. "Thousands of years ago, a war broke out between all Gems of all kinds. Rebels and those loyal to Homeworld fought in an all-out massacre.

"It was shatter after shatter after shatter. It never ended. It all just started off as an assault towards Blue Diamond, who came to visit Earth during Pink Diamond's reign.

"Rose Quartz, the notorious and infamous leader of the rebellion, gathered all kinds of Gems. Gems that wanted to be free. Gems that wanted change. Gems that wanted to start a war." She pauses.

"But...it didn't stop there. I was made during the last days of the rebellion. At this rate, Homeworld finally started making proper Gems. Better Gems. Stronger Gems. But when that happened, disaster struck.

"Rose Quartz really wanted to make an impact with the rebellion. Something that we wouldn't soon forget. It all just happened. I saw it all with my own eye." She points to her eye. 

"I watched Rose Quartz do the impossible and most devastating thing she could've done to Homeworld. She shattered our leader, Earth's reigning leader, Pink Diamond!" Jasper smiles.

"Impressive." She then frowns again. "I'm surprised you remember all of that. Especially the important piece. But...it's my turn to explain how and why it had affected me."

She clears her own throat. "I'm not what you think I am. I may have been the Ultimate Quartz...but it came with a price. I'm...I'm...defective." My eyes widen and my jaw drops. Jasper for the first time ever, tears up right in front of us.

"My Diamond...helped me...get through a lot of things. She told me that I am special and that I should be proud that I am a one-of-a-kind soldier. She was the nicest Diamond that you could ever meet.

"One day, she told me that no matter what happens, never stop being yourself. And so I did. I stayed the brute that I started off as and then I stayed the same ever since." I put a hand to my forehead.

"Of course. So that's why...all this time." Jasper nods. "I saw her get shattered. It wasn't by a weapon. It was by her own hand." My eyes flash the image of me shattering Pearl with my gloved hand back in Beach City.

"The sword poofed the Diamond. Not shatter it. However, there was said to be an alternative option that was made by one of her best fighters that she herself have turned down."

"So maybe...she's innocent."   
"NO!" She pounds a fist down to the ground. "You don't get it! She's the leader of the rebellion! Even if she didn't shatter Pink Diamond, she still played a part in her ultimate demise!"

She takes a minute to catch her breath. "Nothing would be the same again. Not for Homeworld...or Earth." She starts walking away. "Please, don't follow me. I need to go think about some things." She exits the barn and continues walking away.


	27. Understanding

Storm clouds start to gather as I follow Jasper as she heads down towards the silo. Lapis and Peridot are sitting on top. Jasper starts climbing the ladder as Peridot holds Lapis' arm. I also start climbing the ladder as well.

Jasper reaches the top. "Lapis?" The two turn around and Lapis gasps. She almost lashes out at Jasper...but Peridot grips her arm to help her calm down. I reach the top, but I hold on to the ladder to avoid getting caught.

"Lapis?" Lapis turns around as she folds her arms. Peridot glares at Jasper as she puts a hand on Lapis' shoulder. "What is this?" Jasper is confused. She doesn't understand what happened while she was gone.

Peridot speaks up towards Jasper. "What did you do to her?" Jasper tightens her fists. "What did I do to her? What did YOU do to her?!" Peridot is massaging Lapis' shoulders and arms.

"You fused with her, Jasper. You fused with her for the second time. Don't you see that she doesn't want that anymore?" Lapis covers her face. "Lapis?" Jasper moves closer. "STAY BACK!" Peridot holds a hand up to Jasper, standing up.

"I have powers now, Jasper. Care to see which type?" I'm worried about Jasper. Ever since she lost to me at the Beta Kindergarten, she's been this depressed, fusion-loving jerk who is still obsessed with Lapis.

If this keeps up, it isn't going to end well for her. "Powers? Pff! Ha! Very funny. Hey! How about you move over, pipsqueak?!" Jasper moves in closer. Uh-oh. Peridot gets shoved out of the way.

She almost falls off the silo. Lapis quickly realizes what is happening and she turns around. She gasps. "Peridot!" She glares up at Jasper. She stands up so they're face-to-face with each other.

"Jasper, can't you see that I don't want you anymore?" Peridot gets a grip and she pulls herself up to get back on. She shakes her head and she takes a deep breath. "Here we go." She holds her hands down over the top.

"Lapis, what are you saying?!"   
"I'm saying that I've moved on, Jasper! Now get off before it's too late! You're lucky you're even still here! I could've shattered you hours ago!"   
"You moved on?!"

"Yes, Jasper! I've moved on! I...I...I care about someone else now. Someone who cares about me. Someone I can count on. Someone I can cooperate with. Someone that I can connect with!"

"You know who she's talking about." Jasper looks over at Peridot. "YOU?!"  
"ME!" Suddenly, the top piece of the silo breaks away. Lapis holds onto Peridot's leg as she tilts the piece in mid-air, sweating.

Jasper loses her balance and she falls down towards the huge tank of water. I quickly pull out my whip and I lash it down towards Jasper. Jasper grabs the end of the whip and she looks up at me, angry.

"Why?! Why did you follow me?!"  
"I'm worried about you, okay?! Ever since I took you down at the Beta Kindergarten, you've gotten weaker and more vulnerable, pushing yourself closer towards the end every minute you could!"

Jasper looks down at the water below her. "Jasper, look at me!" No response. "JASPER!" Jasper looks back up at me. "Listen, if you let go now, you're never getting back up!" I start tearing up. "Please, listen! You're not alone!"

Jasper looks back down. "I've lost someone I've hated and cared so much about because I hurt her! I shattered her! Maybe you're right! Maybe it was out of affection! But those moments are ones that I will cherish forever.

"I know you did some horrible things! But you don't deserve this! Just please understand that Lapis has moved on. She does care about you. It's just that she doesn't love you. Not anymore. She doesn't want to be with you as Malachite.

"Maybe as a close friend at least. She can only stop hating you if you could at least respect her and who she cares about. I know. It sucks. You just wish that you can be with her one last time. But you've gotta learn to let that go. Just like me."

Jasper sighs. "You're right." I smile. "Come on. I'll help you up." I start pulling Jasper up. And then, the line snaps between us. I gasp as Jasper plummets into the dark, murky water below. "JASPER!" She doesn't come back up to the surface.


	28. Outbreak

I glare at Lapis and Peridot inside the barn. Ever since the whole fiasco with Jasper, I've been fighting my new family to try any way possible of getting her out of the silo.

"You two have to get her out of the silo! It's not good for her in there!" The duo exchanges their looks before answering. "Uh...nooooooo." I stomp at them, frustrated.

Why am I even doing this?! "WHAT?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" The two slowly nod their heads simultaneously. I growl. "Oh! I see how it is! You still think that she deserves to be punished, is that it?!"

The two stay monotone. "Alright! Say Jasper keeps one of you inside the silo. Inside a dark abyss of water where you can't see a darn thing! How would you feel?!" I'm tearing up now. I'm really starting to lose my patience with them.

The two also shrug simultaneously. Peridot answers on Lapis' behalf. "Eh, we would just go right up to Jasper. And if she doesn't let Lappy-" Lapis blushes in embarrassment, smiling.

"Uh...I mean! If she doesn't let Lapis out, I would simply fight her. One of us would use our powers to take Jasper down and place her in the silo instead. Besides, Jasper wanted this anyway and she practically deserved it too."

"NO! YOU'RE WRONG! SHE..." I pull out my whip, Lapis widens her eyes. "DOESN'T!" I lash out at Peridot. She almost flinches. Next thing I know, I'm staring face-to-face with the original, dark Lapis Lazuli.

She holds me down with water chains, glaring. "Don't you ever lash out at my Peri ever again!" I am pinned down by the weight of the chains. Somehow, I didn't expect something like this to happen.

"Chains?! I thought only Malachite can do that!"   
"These may not be as strong as Malachite's. But they will do perfectly for you, Amethyst. You better be honest about this. Why do you worry about Jasper so much?"

"Because she...she's like an older sister to me. Ever since I've beaten her down at the Beta Kindergarten, I could never worry about her more. She's gotten weaker and weaker. She's lost herself, but she's changing. I know she is."

Lapis doesn't let go. "Is that it?" "Pretty much."   
"Hmm...sorry. I'm not convinced." Whoops. "Now here's my argument. You wanna know what she did?" "Uhh...heh heh. Lapis? Are you okay?" "She kept me imprisoned!"

"Pfft! I'm not convinced either!" Lapis launches me outside onto the fields. She walks outside, monotone. "She kept me AND Peridot imprisoned. I held her down with the weight of the ocean for MANY..." Lapis' chains drag me further towards the silo.

"MANY..." Another rush. "MONTHS!" I fall on my back and I thrash to try to brake free...but to no avail. "Do you wanna see what it's like? I can show you."   
"NO!" I blast out of her grip, harnessing Eloc's plasmic energy. 

I get up and I face Lapis. I pull out two more whips. "You're letting her out of there even if I have to make you do it!" I lash out at Lapis. She holds one of the whips with a water hand. "Huh?" She then launches me into the silo. "AH! Oof!"

I get up and I zap her. She collapses, gasping. I lash out again and Lapis catches the other end before it could hit her. "You will listen to me, Amethyst. One way or another." I shake my head. I zap her again.

She tries to defend herself with her water hands, but that only makes the impact even more destructive. "Peridot, help...me." She collapses before she poofs. I walk up to her, raising my whip.

I send it down towards Lapis' gem. And then, something catches it. It wasn't water. "What is wrong with you?!" Peridot sends a ball of shrapnel at me. Yeah, this is gonna hurt. I am sent flying into the silo. I then fall to the ground.

I get up as Peridot walks up to me. A nervous chuckle escapes my mouth. "Peri? You okay there, bud?" I start sweating. The old Peridot. The cold, dark-hearted Peridot stares me down.

"Since when could you fight anyway? You used to be defenseless. Anyone could beat you. What happened to that?" I smile...and then I saw something that I've never seen come out of her before. Weakness.


	29. Seduction

I walk up to Peridot as I devise a strategy. Peridot apparently has a crush on me even though she already has a girlfriend. Sorry Lapis, it's time you get yourself a new girlfriend.

I sort of like Peridot a bit. However, I've never actually had that much affection for her. She really is quite a nerd. And nerds suck! But maybe things will change after this "date" I have planned for the two of us.

After all, I need a new girlfriend. Pearl's gone and I've never been more depressed in my entire life. I know. What I'm about to do is selfish. Well guess what? I don't care. It's time I take matters into my own hands.

I'm going to get Jasper out of the silo even if it's last thing I do. Here's the plan: Small talk due to recent fight. Start off slow. "Hey Peri. Are you doing okay?" Act serious. Don't give anything away.

"I'm fine, Amethyst."   
"How has Lapis been?"   
"She's also doing fine."   
"Listen, I'm sorry, alright? I lost it earlier when I shouldn't have. Maybe you guys are right. She did attack me after all." 

"True." Okay. Ask her out on the "date." But don't be obvious with that either. "So, I see the sun looks lovely today. Especially after that fiasco we recently had, am I right?" Peridot looks up at the sun.

"What do you say we take a breather and walk around the place for a bit together? You know, like a friend type of thing. Hang out." Peridot looks back at the barn. She then sighs. "Well, okay then." Alright. The plan is already set in motion.

We start walking. The next part of the plan is to drive ourselves as far away from the barn, as far away from Lapis, as possible. We walk along the fields down towards the lake nearby.

I put a arm around her and she looks over to me. I know she's going to crack very soon. I can see a small blush developing on her cheeks. We reach the lake and I walk towards it. I sit down near the edge.

Next step, put the moves on Peri. And then drive her even further away from the barn. And send her to somewhere other than a lake. Rattle her up a bit first. Peridot notices the lake. She walks up to it and I grab her hand. 

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Peridot's eyes shine. "But I know someplace even more amazing." I attempt to make her twirl around only to twirl myself towards the ground. "Amethyst!" She catches me before I nearly fall down on my back.

We look into each other's eyes. I stare deep into her soul. I smile as she blushes. Awesome! I got her to crack a bit more. Next up: the confession. I see a small garden nearby. I point over at it. "Woah. Check that out!"

She smiles and I try to blush myself. Still, holding her hand, I run down towards the garden, laughing. We reach the garden and Peridot wanders in, covering her mouth. "Oh my stars. This place...is so beautiful."

She then looks over at me. I fold my arms and I smile. She sighs. "You know, I kinda wish Lapis would take me out to these types of places. We never really go out that much." Here we go. Final step: make out and go in for the lover's kill.

I give her a flirtatious expression. "I go out all the time. I can show you..." I grab ahold of her body and I send her into a hedge. "Everything." I'm sorry, Pearl. I move up to her lips and we kiss. I hold the kiss and then we kiss again, our eyes closed.

Mission accomplished. Peridot lets go of the kiss for a moment. "What is this thing? What are we doing?" She's smiling. I did it. I got her out of reality and I made her fall madly in love with me. I chuckle. "It's called making out, nerd."


	30. Guilt

The two of us, Peridot and I, hold hands as we head back to the barn. We can't stop smiling. I try to contain my excitement from earlier. Peridot squeals, her eyes shining.

"That was the most fun I've ever had since...since-!"   
"Lapis?"   
"No. I've never felt this way before. Lapis seemed so amazing. We had some affection towards each other. But you...and me, what are we?"

I look down. The smile dissapears. Everything, even the joy, breaks down inside me. I then squeeze Peridot's hand as I grit my teeth. Peridot yelps. "Ow! What the heck was that for?!"

I let go of her hand as I tear up. Could it be true that I was the only one that cared deeply about Pearl...while she cared so much more for...her? Did Pearl try to use me? I sit down and I cover my face.

Was Jasper right? Was it really just nothing more than affection? So many questions, so little answers. Am I copying the act that she pulled on me? This...this isn't right.

I start sobbing in guilt. I appear to have stolen Peridot's heart from Lapis. So did Pearl steal me from Garnet? Was she going to try to make her jealous with a false relationship?

How can you not see what's wrong in a false relationship that seems so believable? You can't. All you can see are two people. Two beings. Together. I feel a hand touch my shoulder.

I stop sobbing. Peridot takes off my coat before giving my shoulders a massage. "Are you okay, Amethyst?" I sigh. She stops massaging my shoulders. She crawls up to me and we stare at each other, face to face.

She presses a hand on my cheek and she starts making out with me. I tear up some more as I kiss her back. Well, I may have destroyed Peridot and Lapis' relationship. But who cares? At least maybe now, I can finally find some closure within Peridot.

I lie down on the grass as we go into a full on make out session. We close our eyes as we keep kissing each other. Peridot lets go of me for a second. "I...I love you, Ame."   
"Heh." I blush. This time, for real. "I love you too, Peri."

We chuckle. "Nerd."   
"Clod." We continue kissing. We stay like that for so long, I can't keep track of the time. I open my eyes to see the sun starting to set. We breath as we let go of each other. "It's getting late." I frown.

We get up and we stare into each other's eyes. "Should we do this again sometime?"   
"Anytime!"   
"Alright. Come on. Lapis must be worried about us." We reach the barn and we see that Lapis is making dinner tonight for us.

Me and Peridot go onto the car attached to the barn and we turn on the TV. We turn on Camp Pining Hearts. We try to hold our blushes. After about 4-5 episodes of watching the show, Lapis comes up as well.

She gives us some soup and we watch the show together as Pierre appears on the screen. She glares as Percy and Paulette make out in a nearby forest. And then I enter reality once more.

I watch carefully as Lapis puts an arm around Peridot. But Peridot no longer smiles during that. In fact, she doesn't even look at her. She just stares at the TV instead.

I look down and then I look up at the sky. I sigh. It is done. Why does this feel so wrong and so right at the same time? To Peridot, Lapis is just a friend to her now. As for me, Peri and I, have become one true pair together.


	31. Crossfire

One true pair. That's what we've become. I know that it's only a matter of time before Lapis catches us in the act. I walk outside the barn after I've finished dinner. 

Peridot walks up to me and she puts a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, you doing alright, Ame?" I look behind me to make sure Lapis isn't around and then I look back outside. "Do you want to go anywhere fun?" She smiles.

I sigh. I look around to keep a close watch for Lapis. "Where do you want to go?" Peridot takes my hand and we walk down the fields towards the lake. The moonlight shines on its surface.

Peridot walks up to it and chuckles. "You wanna go for a swim?"   
"Uh..." I stare at the water. All I can think about is Lapis popping up from the surface to attack me.

Peridot steps into the lake. "Uh...Peri?" "Yeah?"   
"Do you even know how to swim?" "Uh...no. I don't think SO!" She dissapears beneath the surface having waded too far into the lake. 

"PERIDOT!" I don't take off my clothes. I dive into the lake. I swim down to find Peridot sinking in the water. She flails her arm and legs, struggling to get back to the surface.

I grab her and I try to swim up myself. But then...he appears. I stare into the face of my worst enemy. I gasp releasing some bubbles. I continue to flail my body. Instead, of getting closer, I'm getting dragged further down from the surface.

The heavy clothes are keeping me from surfacing. I know Gems can breathe underwater. But we need some fresh air! I look at Peridot, trying to hold her mouth shut. There are two ways out of here.

It's either Lapis...or strip. Oh no. Well, maybe I can strip at a comfortable level. I take off my trench coat, my gloves and my shoes. I try again. Ok. A little bit more perhaps. I check underneath the shirt. No bra. Great!

I carefully check the pants. Oh come on! I blush and then I exhale, gritting my teeth. Before I start taking off my shirt, Peridot reaches my face. I stop and I stare deep into her eyes. She kisses me on the lips once more.

We then look up at the surface. Then we look down below us. We stopped fighting. We let the water take us. I kiss her lips again and we hold that kiss, eyes closed. I don't want to let go. I'm never letting her go. I want this kiss to last forever.

Peridot lets go and she gasps. I open my eyes. "Amethyst." She looks scared. I turn around to see Lapis  glaring up at us. I gasp as our bubble crashes right in front of her. Lapis kicks me away from Peridot as I get up.

Lapis stare at us, speechless. "What did you do to her?"   
"Uh...I can explain!" I step backward. I see something overshadow me. I turn around to see a giant water hand. I zap it and the water hand grabs a hold of me.

I try to break free...but the water hand starts squeezing me. I grunt and groan as I struggle against the force Lapis is putting in to try crushing me. Peridot runs and stops in between us. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Lapis ignores her as she squeezes even harder. Her force, her power, her merciless grip. I've never realized how powerful Lapis really was until now. I scream in anguish.  "LAPIS, STOP!" Peridot lunges herself into Lapis, forcing her to let go of me.

I land on the ground and I run up towards Lapis. I shove Peridot out of the way and I punch Lapis left and then right. I kick her chest and I jab at her stomache. She gets up and she punches me in the face.

I pull out my whip. I lash out at Lapis who immediately cuts the other end off with a single swipe of the water. She then swipes the water at my face, leaving a stinging cut.

I pull out two more whips and send them out towards her. She can only get rid of so many. I get a direct hit on her. I then latch the whip onto her body. The spikes pierce her body and she screams. I then send her flying into a tree.

I run up to her, charging up a blast of plasma, ready to finish her off. "STOP!" Peridot stands in between me and Lapis. Our bodies have been beaten and we are exhausted. We pant from the crossfire as Peridot blocks my way.

"Why are two fighting?! This isn't like you at all!" She facepalms. "Look, I get it, alright? I like both of you. But you need to stop fighting and let me choose who I wanna be with!"

She grabs ahold of my whip and she hurls it into the lake. "If this is all because of me, if all you two care about is winning me over like this..." She starts walking back to the barn. "Then I don't want to be with either of you."


	32. Forgiveness

I reach the barn and I get on the car. I sit down next to Peridot. She turns her head away from me. "What do you want?" I look at the TV to see Camp Pining Hearts is on as usual.

"Look, I'm sorry, alright?" No response. "I just...I just..." I blush and Peridot responds. "Why did I even fall in love with you in the first place, Amethyst?" I look down. "Amethyst, admit it. You tricked me, didn't you?"

I cover my face. "I can't believe you. Why did you do it? Were you depressed? Were you seriously that desperate? Were you just trying to use me to free Jasper against Lapis' wishes?"

I tear up. "Unbelievable." She gets up and I put my hands down to look at her. "I thought you cared, Amethyst. You tore me apart...from love. You have every right to blame yourself for what you did."

I continue tearing up. "I'm sorry."  
"I don't think you are. What have you done in not even a week? You betray your own family, you lied to me and Lapis, you went out of your way to hurt Jasper and then take her home to us."

She tears up. "And then, even though you knew what the consequences were going to be, you set me up for a fall!" She raises a fist and I close my eyes. She punches me across the face as hard as she could.

"And now, I don't think I will ever be loved or forgiven for what I did ever again! And it's all because of you!" "Peridot." She turns her back towards me, folding her arms. "Get out, Amethyst. It's over. We're...through."

I get up. "Can you at least forgive me?" Peridot sits down and sighs. "Only if you leave the barn for the night and don't come back until morning." I turn away from Peridot. "I'm sorry."  
"NOW, AMETHYST!" 

I walk away from her as I leave. I jump off the ledge and I start walking out. And then I hear water. I stop and I look up at the ceiling. "Peridot."  
"Lapis."  
"Are you okay?" 

"Aggravated."  
"Right. Listen, I'm sorry for what I did. I didn't know what came over me. I-"  
"It's okay."  
"Huh?" 

"I understand. Ngah! I can't believe I did that! I shouldn't have even met Amethyst in the first place! Not like that!"  
"Not like what?"  
"One day, I was working on a drill head."

I blush. "I accidentally started up the drill and the whole thing went insane all over the place! I then saw Amethyst. She was about to get run over by its rampage. I struggled to break free from the leash that was attached to me.

"When I did, I flew right into Amethyst. We looked into each other's eyes and we just stared at each other for a moment before I got off of her. It was the first time I really saw Amethyst like that."

"So is that why?"  
"No. Well, sort of. She wanted to walk with me. I saw no harm in it. I just walked off with her and I had no idea I was leaving you behind. And then we kissed and..." She pauses.

"I don't know what's going to happen between the two of us anymore. This is all my fault. You must hate me right now for what I did."  
"Peridot, I never hated you. I just didn't understand you."

"And from that time I used you as an informant. I was tall at the time."  
"I'm not gonna lie, you actually looked kinda cool with those things on you." "They're called limb enhancers."  
"I saw you. And you saw me. We saw each other."

Peridot chuckles. "How could I say anything to you?" I hear them getting up. "It's not like I could just grab your hand and start putting the moves on-!" Something slams into the barn.

"You." Silence. "Oh my gosh! Lapis, your gem!"  
"Peridot, I'm fine."  
"No, you're not fine! I'll go get the pan!" I can hear Peridot running. "Don't worry Lapis, you're going to be okay!" 

She then trips. I hear Lapis chuckling.  
"It's okay! I got it!" Peridot runs back over to Lapis. "It's going to be OKAY!" I hear the pan spill and Lapis laughs. "You're such a clutz!" I can hear a hand dip into the pan.

"What's so funny?!"  
"I'm sorry! You're just so funny!" Silence. I can hear moving. "We're so much alike. We were both..."  
"Used?"  
"By Quartzes." 

"True."  
"We were stuck with Jasper."  
"Jasper."  
"You can control water."  
"And you can control...metal."  
"I don't know. What are we?" 

"We are Gems that...care about each other. We've come from similar places. We are just so connected." Silence. "Do you think that maybe..." "Maybe."  
"We could be happy...together?"  
"And find closure within each other?" 

"Maybe...we can forgive each other?" Silence. "I'm sorry." And then I hear them kiss for a moment. "Should we...make out?"  
"What do you think?" And then I hear them laugh again before they start kissing once more.


	33. Retrieve

Eyeball stares at the silo, her fists trembling. I walk up to her and she starts ranting. "Look at this, Amethyst! The great Jasper! The legendary Quartz of Facet 9! The Kindergarten Quartz that could!"

"Uh...Eyeball?"   
"The one who came out of the ground with her helmet on that took out eighty Crystal Gems before the sun went down!"   
"What?" 

"The most powerful Gem who has ever lived besides the Diamonds!"  
"Eyeball?"   
"Is trapped in a silo! Under an abyss of darkness in a water tank thanks to those two Gems!" She points at the barn. 

"A Peridot and a Lapis Lazuli. Traitors to Homeworld and everything they care about." I sigh. "Look, I know you want Jasper out of the silo. I want her out of there just as badly as you do. But there's no way we're getting her out of there." 

"Maybe there is."   
"Huh?"  
"I remember watching the top piece breaking off from the powers that only a Peridot could possess. And if I remember correctly, once something is broken, it stays broken. At least with metal anyway."

"That's true. Maybe...we could get someone to remove the top piece and then retrieve Jasper from the tank." "But who?" I contemplate the situation.

"Maybe...no."   
"Or perhaps the crew...definitely not." "Uh...oh geez. We have like no options!" I facepalm. "No one is going to help us!" I sigh. "And it's all because of me."

"Wait! Think about a Gem that doesn't know anything about what recently happened! Don't you have some bubbled Gems hiding in the barn?" "Only the shards of Pearl and your old platoon, Eyeball."

"Oh."   
"But...the temple. I didn't burst every bubble in there. There are a few more left in there, unharmed from my rampage. And..." I gasp, remembering something.

"What is it?!"   
"There IS a Gem that can help us out! But we need to retrieve her from the temple."   
"Who?" I smile, facing Eyeball. "An original Crystal Gem." I start running away towards the warp pad. 

"Follow me!"   
"Amethyst, wait up! Don't just go running off like that!" I step on the warp pad and I wait for Eyeball to get on. "Ready?" Eyeball takes a deep breath. "Yes." I activate the warp pad.

We appear in the temple and Eyeball's eye shines in awe. "The Crystal Temple. The hideout of the mighty Rose Quartz and her surviving assets." I step up to the temple door and pull down the collar of my shirt.

The purple gem lights up and the door opens. Eyeball returns to my side and we enter my room. I look around and I smile. "Heh. Nothing changed." A noise erupts out of nowhere and we immediately stop in our tracks.

"Uh...what was that?" I shush Eyeball as the sound erupts agains. "No. It can't be." I motion Eyeball forward. "Stay behind me and stay close. I have a feeling an old friend came back to visit me and my stuff."

We proceed with caution as we navigate around the piles of garbage everywhere that's surrounding us. Suddenly, I notice an arm reaching out of one of the piles. "Look out!" I zap the creature and the arm retracts.

"What is that thing?"   
"It's the Slinker. I think. The last time it was here, I was poofed several times and it was an absolute disaster." "So it just poofs a Gem instantly without warning?"   
"Exactly. It's trying to seperate us."

I point to an exit ahead. "See that doorway down there? That's where we need to go. Come on." I grab Eyeball's hand and we keep going. "Be careful." A spot another hand reaching out. 

I zap it again and it retracts. We reach the exit and we stop. "Okay. Now all we need to do is jump across these platforms." We jump from one platform to another until we reach another doorway.

"Woah. The Crystal Heart." We proceed into the bubble room. I walk up to one of veins and I slide down. Eyeball follows behind me. Once we land, I step up to Bismuth's bubble.

I jump up and I catch it before I land back down on the ground. "Got it." "Who is that?"   
"This is-!" The bubble pops and the gem glows. "Heh heh. Whoops." The Gem regenerates and Bismuth drops down to the ground.


	34. Lies

Bismuth looks up at us. "Rose?" She then stares at us in silence. "Amethyst? What are you doing in here?" I look back at Eyeball. "Uh..." I face Bismuth again. 

"Garnet, Steven and the others agreed to let you back out. You know, of your bubble." She smiles. "Glad I've gotten to have a second chance." She hugs me and at that moment, the world implodes in on me.

I take a breath to calm down. This is the second time I have lied in a week. Only this time, the stakes are even higher since I'm releasing a Gem that is supposed to stay bubbled and not loose out in the open like this.

Worst of all, what will happen if she finds out that I have lied to her? Will she attempt to shatter me? Will she destroy everything that's left? Will she just go insane? I don't know. I don't want to know.

I start walking away and I motion Bismuth forward. "Wait a minute." I freeze. "Who is that?" I turn around to see her pointing at Eyeball, glaring. "Oh! She's just a new recruit for the Crystal Gems." 

"They hired another Ruby? Why isn't she in her uniform?" Eyeball raises her eyebrow. "Uniform? THIS is my uniform!" She points at herself. "Right. I can still see the Yellow Diamond insignia on your chest there, uppercrust." 

Bismuth shapeshifts her hands into hammers. "Maybe you need a change in your wardrobe!" Eyeball backs away into a wall. "Bismuth, wait!" She faces me. "We don't force new recruits into their new uniform! She needs to get poofed herself!"

She stares me down and starts walking over to me. "Then what are you wearing?" I look down at myself. "What type of uniform is THIS?!" She is no longer in a cheery mood. This isn't good.

"Um uh..."   
"Because last time I checked, you weren't wearing anything like that." I gulp. "Well, you see, Bismuth, I was on a mission with the Gems one day and I got poofed by...a rock slide." 

"A rock slide?"   
"Yeah! I am very scrappy remember! Because I'm defective?" I smile the best I can. On the inside, I just punched myself in the gut right at home. Anyone else saying this would've destroyed me.

She looks me up and down. "Yeah. You are pretty defective, that's for sure." I grab my arm and I hold myself steady. My smile falters. Wow. Thanks, Bismuth. "Okay. But why that?" I clear my throat. "Rushed regeneration! I had to save the Gems."

"Fair enough." She looks around. "Where are the Gems anyway?"   
"They went on a mission!"   
"Without you?"   
"Yeah! I have to watch over the new recruits! We got a Peridot, Lapis Lazuli, this guy!"

I slide over to Eyeball and I put my arm around her. "And a Jasper." Bismuth raises an eyebrow. "A Jasper? Aren't those Quartz loyal to Homeworld? Not to mention, their Diamond?"   
"Yes. But so were we, right?" 

"True." Truth is, I've never had a Diamond. I was left behind in the Kindergarten. "Okay. So we live in a barn now due to damages from a new foe we're taking on!" A punch my hand for emphasis. "It's a battalion of Ruby soldiers from Homeworld."

"Ruby soldiers?"   
"Yeah. They were with a uh Peridot! They were with a Peridot who is using robots to fix the Homeworld Galaxy Warp! They're currently on the move." Bismuth lightens up the glare a bit.

"Hmm...okay. So you're staying in a barn for right now?"   
"Yeah. The temple was destroyed recently. Just the housing that we built though. Everything else is still in tact."   
"That makes sense. So how do we get out of here?"

"Oh! Well, we have to get up there since Garnet isn't here right now." I point to the giant hole in the ceiling. "Okay." She jumps up and she dissapears from the ceiling. "Your turn!" I turn to Eyeball.

"Can you jump pretty high?" Eyeball jumps and then faceplants in not even a second. She gets up, blushing. "Uh..." "I'll take that as a no." I grab Eyeball. "Hang on." I jump up through the hole in the ceiling. "Woah! Woah!" Once we reach the top, I let go of Eyeball. 

"You okay?"   
"Yeah. I'm fine." We walk over to the platforms. "Oh." I have never realized how dangerous the platform jumping really was until this moment. I look down in the dark abyss below. My eyes widen. "Oh boy."


	35. Help

Bismuth smiles with arrogance. "Pfft! Platform jumping! This is a cinch! Watch me!" She starts jumping from platform to platform. "See? Piece of CAKE!" I gasp and I rush over to her platform. Bismuth let's go of the platform just as I make it over.

"BISMUTH!" I lash my whip out towards her. She grabs the end of the whip and she holds on tight. I gasp again. I no longer see Bismuth holding on for dear life. I see Jasper. 

The one who I've failed to save in a similar scenario. "AMETHYST!" Eyeball grabs ahold of me. "Calm down. Just relax. I've got you." I take a deep breath. I see Bismuth again. I can hear the whip starting to break as Bismuth tries climbing up.

I lash out another whip. Bismuth reaches for the second one and she starts climbing again just as soon as the first one snaps off. I let go of the whip and I watch it fall into the darkness beneath Bismuth.

I lash out another one and Bismuth reaches for that one. She gets closer and closer to safety as the second one snaps off just the same as the first. I can feel myself starting to slide forward. Eyeball holds me tight.

"You can do this! I've got you!" I grunt as I clench my teeth. "Bismuth, why do you have to be so...heavy?!" Bismuth keeps climbing. I lash out another one. Bismuth is almost at the top. 

"Hey! For your information, I was made this WAY!"   
"BISMUTH!" The whip snaps and Bismuth grabs ahold of the other whip's end before it is too late. I let go of the other whip and I lash out another one. 

I repeat the process until Bismuth finally reaches the top, safe and sound. I collapse as soon as she does. Eyeball keeps me up from faceplanting on the platform. Bismuth jumps from the other platforms all the way to the end.

I feel dizzy. My muscles have been strained from helping Bismuth up. I groan and grunt as Eyeball keeps me steady. "Are you okay? You need to sit down for a minute?"   
"You-you can't...s-sit on a platform...  
like this, Eyeball."

"Take as much time as you need." I take deep breaths. I notice Bismuth just staring at us with her arms folded, obviously impatient. I look back at Eyeball. "You know, that was a major step up from the time you failed to save Jasper at the silo."

I feel myself turn pale and Eyeball immediately notices. "S-Sorry! I didn't mean to-!"   
"No. It's okay. Thanks." I give her a weak smile. "How much longer are you two gonna take to get over here?!" We glare at Bismuth.

"Uh, for your information, we just saved your life, Bismuth. I could easily have let you go if you weren't this important right now."   
"Wait! What? What do you mean by important?"

"Bismuth, Jasper is trapped in a silo and we came to get you mainly so you can free her." Bismuth glares at me as her eyes narrow. "So you came to save me on a rescue mission to save someone else on another rescue mission?"

"I was on like three rescue missions in one week thank you very much!" Bismuth sighs. "Fine. But we still need to get out of here." Once I calm down, Eyeball and I jump on the remaining platforms all the way to the doorway to my room.

"Okay. It's just this room now." I motion Eyeball and Bismuth forward and we enter the room. "Okay. Stay close and stay behind me. Even the strongest Gems can get poofed in here."   
"Say what now?!" 

We shush Bismuth and a noise erupts. "The Slinker." I hear a different noise. "That's not the Slinker." Suddenly, a monster appears in front of us. It roars and Bismuth gasps. "Biggs?! Is that...you?!" Bismuth walks up to it.

We whisper yell at Bismuth. "Bismuth!"   
"Biggs. What happened to you? Remember me? I'm your old pal, Bismuth!" I pull out my whip and the monster roars again as it starts to attack Bismuth. 

I zap the monster multiple times until it poofs. I then bubble it away. "BIGGS!" Bismuth turns around and she glares at me. "What did you do?!" She's tearing up. "That's it. You've crossed the line, Quartz!" She grabs me by the shirt and she thrusts me up. 

"Bismuth?"   
"I've had it! I don't care anymore if you've saved me...twice! I don't care if you came back to set me free! The one thing I will NEVER tolerate is having one of my closest friends taken away from me like that!"

"No! She's at the barn!"   
"Oh really?"   
"YES! Just let me go and let's just get out of here." Bismuth, with her teeth clenched, hurls me into the ground. She stomps away.


	36. Answers

I get up, groaning in pain. Bismuth continues to wander off as Eyeball rushes over to my side. "Amethyst!" She puts out a hand to help me up. "Are you okay?" I press a hand to my forehead.

Whatever Bismuth just did to me, it hurt. A lot. Eyeball yells over at Bismuth. "Hey! What did you do that for?!" Eyeball pulls out her knife and she points it at Bismuth.

She then throws it directly towards her exposed back. Bismuth catches it and she turns around. She starts to walk straight towards Eyeball. "You've got a lot of nerve fighting back for her."

"That's because I'm her friend! She saved me from my crew! Now I'm going to save her from you!" Bismuth chuckles. "I'd like to see you try."  
"Eyeball, don't do it." She turns back to me.

"Please. Don't worry about me. I'll be okay. I deserve this."   
"Yeah you do!" Eyeball's fists start shaking, her eye tearing up at the sight of my fallen body.

She faces Bismuth once more. "What's your problem?! We're only trying to help you! All you wanna do is throw us under the bus!"   
"Then you shouldn't have come back here."   
"We had no other choice!"

I start to get up. "You are going to be free and you're gonna like it! Why can't you just give this place, Earth, a second chance?"   
"Because Earth became my final resting place. A prison for Gems like me!"

I struggle to stand up. "Bismuth, what happened on the night Steven bubbled you again?"   
"You really want to know?"  
"Bismuth?"   
"YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW?!"

"Why are you being so difficult and so abusive towards us?"   
"Oh. I'll tell you why. I took him over to the Forge with me. I said that I wanted to give him a new weapon to replace Rose's Sword."

"And?"   
"I showed him a weapon that can shatter Gems. The Breaking Point." "The Breaking Point? Wait a minute! Is that the weapon that Rose Quartz herself turned down during the war?" "Yes."

She stops walking and she looks down, her anger starts to fade away from her. "We had a talk about it and I decided to teach Steven how to use it because I thought that even though Rose turned down the weapon, maybe he wouldn't."

"Why?"   
"Because he was young...and stupid." "HEY! STEVEN IS NOT STUPID! HE SAVED US FROM SPACE JAIL AND HE SAVED ME...sort of." I tear up as Eyeball places a hand on my back.

"Save you? From what?"   
"From myself! Everyday, I feel more and more like shattering myself for everything I ever did! I did the worst. I shattered..." I stop myself before it is too late. "You...shattered?"

"Let's just get out of here. Jasper needs us. It's not worth it."   
"Uh, yes it is! What did you shatter, Amethyst?!" I start walking away. "I'm not going to fight you." Bismuth blocks my way. "What did you shatter?!" 

"Nothing, Bismuth." "It was something alright!" I pull out my whip. "Don't make me do this, Bismuth. You need to cooperate with us."   
"Amethyst, you are gonna tell me what you did right now!"   
"Leave her alone!" 

I lash out at Bismuth. "Get out of my way!" Bismuth catches the whip and she smirks. "I see you're using the upgrade I gave you. Gee, I wonder WHY!" She hurls me into a mountain of garbage. I get up and I start running away. I look around for the Slinker, watching my back.

Bismuth charges towards me. "WHAT DID YOU DO?! I NEED ANSWERS!" I continue running away towards the exit as Eyeball and Bismuth follow right behind me. I zap at the Slinker's outstretched arm and I hear a knife slash through another.

"Eyeball!"   
"Don't worry! I got her!" I hear something shapeshift. "AMETHYST!" I hear something hammer down on the Slinker as it screeches around us. We keep running towards the exit.

I pull down the collar of my shirt as we reach the end. "Bismuth, if you want the answers so badly, then you must earn them." I slow down. "Amethyst! What did you do?!" I step onto the warp pad.

"If you can help us out, I'll give you closure. But you're not going like what you hear."   
"Why should I help you?!"   
"Because I just saved your life...twice! Now get on and return the dang favor already!"

Eyeball steps up onto the warp pad. Bismuth groans. "Fine. But just this once. Let's get this overwith." She steps onto the warp pad. I smile. "Don't worry, Jasper. Help is on the way." I warp us away to the barn.


	37. Rescue

We're back at the barn. "This way." I motion Bismuth over to the silo with Eyeball. Once we make it, Bismuth gazes at the towering structure in awe. "Woah. What is this thing?"

"That's a silo, Bismuth. It's a water tank that is used on farms to help grow crops from underground. At least that's what Steven told me." "Huh. So why are we here again?" I facepalm and groan.

"You need to get up there..." I point to the metal ladder nearby. "...from that ladder..." I move my finger to the top. "...all the way to the top."   
"Okay." She walks over to the ladder and I follow her up with Eyeball right behind me.

I reach the top and I see Bismuth looking down at the piece she's standing on. "Alright." I get off the ladder and walk up to Bismuth. "Now pull off this piece." I point down from where I'm standing. "Get off first."

I get back on the ladder for safety as Bismuth cracks her knuckles. She then pounds the silo as hard as she could with a grunt. She throws another punch and then another. Finally, a hole...not big enough for Bismuth to fit through is made.

My heart sank but at the same time, I'm relieved that we have finally found some way to save Jasper. However, Bismuth isn't going to be the one to save her. She's done her part. 

Eyeball and I get on the silo and we look down into the water from beneath the hole. "That's the best I can do. If I try to make it bigger, the whole thing will collapse and we'll all be trapped inside."

I gulp. "Amethyst, Eyeball, one of you is going to have to go down there to save your friend. Who will it be?" Eyeball looks down into the hole and she turns to face me. I sigh. 

"I'll go. This was all my idea in the first place. Not to mention, it's my fault that any of this has happened." Bismuth nods. "Very well. But how are you going to do it?"   
"I've got whips." 

I pull out a few whips and I hand them to Bismuth. "Wrap the end of each one and connect them together. Then wrap the end around me and we'll use it like a leash or something that we can use to pull me back up from no return." 

"So if we let go, you'll be trapped down there with her?" I hesitate for a moment. I suddenly fear the worst. That Bismuth, due to recent events, will intentionally let go of the whip on purpose, leaving me in the tank of water with Jasper to suffer. 

However, I deserve it one way or another. I nod. "Yeah. But that's not what we're here to do. I'm not going in there as a means of torturing myself. I'm going in there...to save a friend." I face Eyeball. "Eyeball?" Eyeball looks up. 

"Yes?"   
"I just want to let you know that-" Eyeball runs up to embrace me. "Please, be careful." She sounds extremely nervous. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. I've gotten through tougher scrapes than this." 

She lets go and I approach the hole with caution. "Wrap it around me, Bismuth." She steps up to me and she wraps the end of the long whip around my waist. "Okay. Whenever you're ready." 

I look down at the hole and I take in one last breath of fresh air before sitting down at the hole like someone would at a dunk tank. I take off my gloves, shoes and coat and I place them next to me. I then close my eyes and I push myself forward. 

I can feel myself plunging into the water below me. It doesn't feel like the last experience I've had in here. It doesn't feel right. It's cold. Frigid. I open my eyes and they sting a lot. I can't see a thing. I feel through my body for the whip. It's still in contact with me. Good.

I look down, keeping my mouth shut. I then swim downward to submerge myself deeper into the abyss of no return. In here, I don't feel happy. I don't feel warm. I feel dark...and cold. 

There is no feeling of hope...or love down here. I keep going until my hand touches something hard. I feel around it until I touch hair. I then give her a light zap. Bad move. I gasp from the shock and I let out some bubbles.

I suddenly feel dizzy. I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment before I feel around Jasper to see if she is even still here, concious and alive inside. Suddenly, a hand grabs me and it holds on to me. 

I get a hold of her hand and then I yank on the whip to give Bismuth and Eyeball the signal. I start to get pulled back up to the surface. As we get closer, I can see Jasper more and more clearly each passing second.

Finally, we brake the surface and we gasp, choking out the water. Jasper looks up at me in awe. She's not angry or happy or sad even. She's astonished. "Thank you."


	38. Revenge

I help Jasper out of the hole as Bismuth and Eyeball stare at her in awe. She looks down at me, smiling. "Heh. Is it just me, or do you care too much about a brute like me?" I shrug. "Maybe both." I hug Jasper and she hugs me back.

After we let go, she turns to face Bismuth and Eyeball. "You again? And...what are you?" She points at Bismuth. "I'm Bismuth! The one who just saved you!" She points at the hole to acknowledge her part.

Jasper looks back at the hole. "Oh. Alright then." She then starts climbing down the ladder. "I am never going back up here again." The rest of us nod. "Agreed." Once we make it to the bottom we see Lapis rushing over to us.

"Amethyst!" She glares at me. "What happened? I swear, you were nothing but trouble this whole-!"  
"Hi!" Bismuth smiles and waves at her. Lapis looks up and her eyes widen. Her jaw drops and her glare intensifies further.

"YOU?!" She points at Bismuth. Bismuth raises an eyebrow. "Me?" She points at herself. "YES YOU!" She looks at Jasper just the same. "BOTH OF YOU!" She summons two water hands. 

She immediately grabs Bismuth and Jasper and she pulls them towards her. Lapis stares them down, her fists tightening. "Neither of you should've have came here!"

She focuses on Bismuth. "Do you have any idea what you did to me back then? Remember me? I remember you, Bismuth! It all happened thousands of years ago." 

"What?" Bismuth is just as confused as she was before. "Back then, during the Gem War, do you remember punching a certain Gem in the back making her poof without the slightest bit of mercy?"

"N-no. I swear, you must be mistakening me for someone else!"  
"I know and I remember things. It can even be back during the Gem War when I was placed in a mirror, trapped for thousands of years after!"

She grips Bismuth tighter. "I cannot have any more sympathy for you than I do for her." Bismuth looks over at Jasper, glaring. "What did YOU do to her?!"  
"Uh...fusion."  
"Seriously?!" 

"We were trapped together in the bottom of the ocean for about a few months straight."  
"You are just as bad as me!"  
"Oh yeah?! You poofed her, entrapping her within a mirror for THOUSANDS of years! Not months, years!"

Bismuth looks back at Lapis. "Listen, I didn't come here to get attacked like this. I came here to help."  
"And you came here to get shattered." She squeezes her even tighter. Bismuth yells in anguish.

Jasper looks fearfully at Lapis. "Lapis?" She looks over at Jasper, still glaring. "Don't think that I haven't forgotten about you!" She starts squeezing Jasper. "Lapis! I'm sorry!"  
"You will be!"

Lapis facepalms. "Why are you even still here?! You should've left when you had the chance. I could've spared you! But now, you're both going to recieve the payback you deserve: my revenge." 

She squeezes them both and I step in between Lapis and her victims. "Lapis!" She looks down at me. "You." She lets go of Bismuth and Jasper to grab me with both hands. "Unh!"

"You did the worst! You, above everyone else here, deserves to get shattered!"  
"What did I do?!"  
"In not even a week, you have brought my worst enemies home! And then..." She pulls me up even closer.

"You have seduced MY love interest! My girlfriend! Peridot!" Lapis punches me across the face. "I don't care if we're back together again." Another punch. "All that matters, is that you get what you deserve."

I clench my teeth. "Why do you care about it so much?!"  
"You see, Amethyst, you don't deserve to be loved!" I feel another part of myself cracks. What is she talking about?! "All you are is...her!" She points at Jasper.

"You're just another version of her! You used her like she used me! You were made wrong so therefore, you don't deserve to exist!" I start tearing up. "You're wrong!"

Lapis punches me again. "Don't lie to me, Amethyst. You know deep down that you don't deserve to live or exist. That you would rather die and get shattered. Well guess what? You're right."

"LAPIS LAZULI!" Lapis looks over at Peridot and she lets go of me. "I thought you were done with her. I chose you because I thought we could move on together. Do you really care?! Because I don't!"

"Peridot! It's not what it looks like!"  
"You are never going to get your act together are you, Lazuli?! I'm sorry. Until you can let go of your past and your anger, you will never get close to me ever again."


	39. Recap

Peridot walks away as I step up to Lapis. "Did you seriously think that you weren't going to recieve any fatal backlash from that?" Lapis covers her face. "No."   
"Then why did you do it? Why did you have to make me feel bad about myself?!"

I'm drowning in my own tears. All of my past regrets only build up more and more each passing day. I choke back tears and I start crying in front of them. I don't care anymore. In my eyes, I'm alone, back in the Kindergarten, feeling dead inside.

I storm away from everyone towards the lake. I can't take much more of this. I just feel more and more guilty as my miserable life continues. Have I really done anything right this whole week?

I think back to the first day. I fell for Pearl. But did she really fall for me? Was it really anything but genuine love? And then, after our first kiss together, I left to meet the domino effect.

It all really started with Eloc. That dang mysterious eyeball demon doning his gray long sleeved trench coat and his green shirt with its pyramid design with his sleek gray shoes and matching black gloves to go with his menacing, giant eyeball.

I can still see his sharp, green iris staring into my soul. His merciless assault on me and his reckless attempt to fuse with me. Everything that has happened so far is all linking back to him.

Who is Eloc? Who is this mysterious, sly gentleman of a monster who chose me to become his finisher? What gave him the gall to do such a thing? Even when he was destroyed, he has managed to combine his warped thinking process with my own.

What has he done to me? He has given me all the power I could ever want. He has made me an inseparable fusion hybrid. He has torn me away from love. He has given me every reason to no longer live.

So many things went wrong. Everyday was something different. Day one was all about cold-blooded murder. Day two, I lost my privacy. Day three, I hurt Jasper and I took things too far in my revenge. I had to also save her not long after.

That was two things in a single day. The second part hurt much more because Steven was involved in my stunt to save that jerk. I played an innocent, childish game as someone I wasn't and I won. I shouldn't have.

I should've never beaten Steven at that stupid game! And then the look on that face when I blew my cover. It was heartbreaking. I can still see the streaming tears in his tired, cold eyes with his narrowed eyebrows and clenched teeth.

The other day, Jasper backstabbed me. She fused with Lapis again and Malachite was back. This event really shook her up and I understand why Lapis was so upset with me earlier and she has every right to be.

And then the silo. I failed to save Jasper that night. When the connection snapped, a part of myself followed suit. I became desperate and all I wanted to do was save Jasper. Why?! Why did I want to save her?!

I did it at all costs. And I mean ALL. The following day, yesterday, I seduced Peridot. It was the happiest and most depressing day I've ever had this week. It was romantic and when our lips met, I felt everything.

I felt guilt, joy, anger, despair, anxiety. But guilt above all. And now, I love her. I shouldn't have seduced her because now, I'm obsessed. I would do anything to get her back. I would even go as far as sucking up to her pleasurable, dirty desires.

When I was caught by Lapis, I knew it was all over for us. Our relationship sunk in the lake that night. The lake that I'm staring at with restless eyes. And then came today. Two things already went horribly wrong.

One, Bismuth. I rescued her three times in a row! Once from her bubble, again from the abyss, and once more from Biggs, one of her closest friends, currently corrupted in a bubble inside the barn.

All I got in return was more pain and more aggression. But Eyeball. She stood up for me. I was on the ground and she helped me back up. Does she care about me to such a degree as to what it could be?

Her smile, her calm voice, her fighting passion. I just wish I could express whatever she feels towards me back to her. I can only wonder if she really could be my second chance to save myself.

But what about what just happened? Was she there? Why didn't she help me? Was she scared, afraid to face the consequences of her actions? Was she just tired? Was she too lost in her own head to do anything? I don't know. I'll never know.


	40. Depression

A hand touches my shoulder. "Hey." I turn around and there she is smiling at me. "Hey, Eyeball." I try to smile for her. She crawls over to my side and she sits next to me. I look over to see sweat pouring down her forehead.

She then stutters in an obvious tone of anxiety. "S-so, are y-you okay, A-Amethyst? Y-you seem r-really upset r-right n-now." It's obvious that she has a crush on me. It's a sign that most people are able to hide. 

But for those like Eyeball, they can't help but show it to their love interest. And now, I feel even more guilty. Because I want to feel what she's feeling right now. But I can't. I'll at least try some small talk with her.

"Yeah. I'm alright."  
"You were crying." She was there. "I wanted to help you back there but...Lapis. She was just too strong. I was afraid I might get poofed or worse. I'm sorry."  
"Don't be."

She blushes. "Uh..." She clears her throat. "D-Do you wanna take a walk or...?"  
"No thanks, Eyeball. It's best if I don't."  
"You wanna go for a swim?" 

She points at the lake. "It's a really nice day out for that." I blush for a moment. "No."  
"Maybe...we could go into town and get something."  
"No." 

"Maybe we could explore the temple a bit more."  
"Eyeball, we're never going back there again."  
"Right. Uh...we could...go to the Kindergarten."  
"No."

Each "no" that I place on Eyeball is just more weight added to my depression. It's like I'm trying to enter that stage now on purpose. Eyeball frowns...but she doesn't give up. 

"Maybe...we could check out the ship together? I could show you around. Maybe we could go for a test run or something?"  
"No."  
"Uh...we could watch Camp Pining Hearts if you want?"  
"No."

"We could hang out with Jasper or maybe Bismuth? We could talk to Peridot or maybe have a discussion with Lapis or-"  
"NO!" I get up. "Amethyst, are you okay?" I tear up and I cover my face, clenching my teeth.

I can see something that only fusions can see off in the distance. I can see butterflies, projecting my reflection off of them. They swarm around me and they fly up into the sky. They combine into one giant butterfly.

I can see myself and Eloc fusing. This is what started it all. Eloc. ELOC! I pound a fist into the ground and I cry once more. I can still hear him laughing inside my head. I yank my hair and I scream.

The butterflies break apart and they swoop down on me. They combine again and I can see Eloc standing there in front of the lake. He laughs even more. But this time, I can see him laughing.

I run up to the illusion as I raise a fist. "I'LL KILL YOU!" I punch Eloc...but he isn't anywhere near phased by the attack. I punch him again and again. I then pull out two whips and I lash out at him one after the other...and he doesn't stop laughing.

"STOP LAUGHING!" He walks towards me. I keep lashing out at him until I collapse at his feet. "Pathetic. Just pathetic. Just look at you now, Amethyst. You're nothing but a mistake. You were made for the sole purpose of serving me."

"STOP!" I sob as Eloc kicks me in the face. "And you have done well. Remember Amethyst, every Gem was made for a purpose. To serve the order of the Diamonds. However, a lucky few have been made to serve me. AND ME ONLY!" 

He kicks me again. "Next, you will shatter everyone you care about starting with her." He points behind me. "DO IT, NOW!"  
"NO!" I lunge into him and I hit the lake's surface. Eloc dissapears and I sink towards the bottom.

I watch as Eyeball's silhouette swims down to save me. I look down at my Gem. It's even more cracked than it was the night I first tried shattering myself. I close my eyes and everything turns pitch black.


	41. Worry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming up: Another original cringe-worthy song by yours truly sung by a Ruby.

I open my eyes. I'm back in the barn. I can see that the sun is starting to set for the day. I hear a sigh. I don't turn to my side to see what's going on. "Why, Amethyst?" I hear her sigh.

Eyeball paces around the room, her voice a bit shaky from what happened a few hours or so earlier. "Why did you try shattering yourself? Are you really okay? Are you just trying to stop me from worrying about you?"

She stops pacing for a moment. "Stop trying to hide yourself from me. I just want to help you! Is that too much to ask?! Do you want to die? Is that what this is? Because if that is it, then..." She sighs again. "That is just perfect."

She pauses for a moment. I then hear a tune come out of her voice. A beautiful tone. 

_"What would happen if I... ___  
_Said that thing to you? _  
_I just want to help you out. _  
_There's no need to cry about it." _______

_____ _

She pauses for moment. 

_"Stop blaming yourself. ___  
_I care about you and I can't bare to watch you... __  
_Suffer like this. _  
_Don't take this the wrong way. _  
_But I need to know... _  
_What will become of you and I." __________

_____ _

She sits down next to me. She starts petting my hair. 

_"You're hurting and I'm stiring. ___  
_Why can't you just move on with things? _  
_Let go of the past and make amends once again. _  
_If you can't do that then what will become of you and I?" _______

_____ _

Her voice gets even more shaky. 

_"I know I may not be the best for you. ___  
_But you must understand that I might be... __  
_The only one who cares about you in this world. _  
_Please stop holding back. _  
_Just come to me and you will see... _  
_What will become of you and I. __________

_____ _

_I'm worried. ___  
_I'm worried of the things that will... __  
_Surpass us soon enough. _  
_He's there... _  
_In your head... _  
_And I don't believe you're crazy. __________

_____ _

_My crew will tear us apart if you don't... _  
_Come to me and see what will become of... _  
_You and I. _  
_You and I. _  
_You and I. _  
_You and I! _____________

________ _ _ _ _

_Stop holding back. _  
_You will see. _  
_Don't be afraid. _  
_I am here for you." _________

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She pauses. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_"Please don't drift away so soon. _  
_Because if you give up.." _____

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She starts sobbing and sniffling. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_"What will become of... _  
_You... _  
_And... _  
_I?" _________

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I don't turn around. But the song that I just heard is one that I shall not ignore. It may have been a small, singular voice. But it was a voice that created a big impact. I tear up, smiling.

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Maybe. Just maybe, Eyeball. Eyeball keeps petting my hair. I think back to the song. Everything in it is sincere. But that's impossible. We've only known each other for about three days, not even.

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Is it really more than just a crush? Is she also going through some things? She must be. I still feel very guilty for not going up to Eyeball and actually being honest with her on what's going on. I have to stop holding back.

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

When the time is right, I'm going to tell her everything. If there is at least one person that cares about you, then things shouldn't be so bad, right? I want to do it right now. But I can't do that. Not now. Later.

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I close my eyes. I try to stop thinking about all of the bad stuff. I only focus on one subject. Eyeball. I open my eyes one last time to see that it's night. I then close my eyes once more and I let myself drift off to sleep.

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	42. Hurricane

I wake up to the sound of rain...and thunder. Eyeball groans and gets off of me. Apparently she has dozed off on me last night after her song. She gets up and she walks away.

I get up as well and I start walking out of the barn. "Amethyst!" I turn around to see Peridot. "Come quick!" She is not happy at all right now. I jump up onto the ledge and I follow her to the car.

I sit down next to Lapis. "What is it?" Peridot points to the TV. "Look." I watch the TV as a weather broadcast is currently taking place LIVE. "This is bad. A potential category 5 hurricane is heading down towards Beach City as we speak!"

"Uh..." I raise an eyebrow. Peridot groans. "DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE IS?!"   
"No. Not really. Never seen one in my life." 

"Well then prepare yourself for a walloping, Amethyst. This is going to be rough."  
She runs away. "VERY ROUGH!" I shrug. I turn over to Lapis. "What's going on?"   
"Didn't she just tell you?" 

"Yeah. But I think there's more to it than that."   
"Like the potential impact it's going to have on the town?"   
"Something like that."

"Well, one, if it hits, Beach City will perish. Everything will be destroyed and the temple will cease to exist according to Peridot. Two, it's going to cost pretty much everything for damages including this barn."

"Holy smokes."   
"Yeah. But, there's one last thing. It's best if I don't tell you what that is."   
"Lapis, just spit it out." She chuckles before giving me a death glare. "The hurricane has a name. Guess what it is."

"Hurricane...Lapis?" She clenches her teeth. "HURRICANE AMETHYST, AMETHYST!" I grimace as I stare at the TV. "Oh geez!" I get up and I run out of the barn. I meet up with the others outside on the fields. Bismuth waves. "Oh hey, Amethyst. We were just talking about you." 

If it wasn't for Eyeball's beautiful song, I would've pretty much shattered myself right there. Bismuth is so dead to me. Eyeball glares up at her. "Oh lay off, Bismuth!" Bismuth glares down at her.

Eyeball then faces me and smiles. "Morning, Amethyst! Did you sleep well last night? You had a really rough experience yesterday. Are you okay?"   
"Yes, Eyeball. I'm fine thank you. What's going on?" Peridot facepalms.

"No. I know what's going on. I mean, what's the plan here?" Peridot looks up and she takes in a breath of relief. "Oh thank stars." Jasper points at the clouds. "For right now, we are going to watch the clouds. If they get darker, it will be time to take action."

"Alright. But what about when that time comes?" Peridot yells. "LAPIS! COME DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!" She's obviously going to be involved in this. Lapis swoops in and she lands on her feet. She then retracts her water wings as she clears her throat.

"Yes, Peridot?" She tries smiling the best she could. "Could you explain the plan to Amethyst? You know, when it's time to take action."   
"Oh. Well, first off, three of us are going down to Beach City alone."

"And those three are?"   
"You, me, and Peridot."   
"Why?"   
"Because we are the most useful Gems on the team. Or at least the most powerful. Or...uh...storm control type." 

"Yes. Allow me to explain." She steps up to the center of our group. "Amethyst will have control over lightning. That's huge, don't forget. You will need to redirect it over to safer areas also as a means to protect your partner and not just the property." 

"Hold on a minute! What?!"  
"We're going to be working together, Amethyst."   
"That's right. Lapis will take ocean control. She will push back the tide to keep the waves from crashing down into Beach City." 

"What if she were to fail?" Lapis waves a fist at me. "Excuse me?! I am powerful enough to hold back a tide thank you very much!" 

"Oh really? Peri, explain." Peridot gulps. "Well, uh, if Lapis were to fail, then...then..." She clears her throat. "Let's just hope that doesn't happen."


	43. Rejection

I watch a little bit of Crying Breakfast Friends with Eyeball on the car as thunder starts to rumble. "Looks like the storm is coming soon." I huff. "Yeah." I stare at the TV, ignoring Eyeball's company.

Suddenly, I feel something peck my cheek. I gasp and I immediately punch Eyeball across the face. "Why did you do that?!" Eyeball turns cherry red.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't know what came over me! I..." She presses a hand against her cheek and she winces. "That hurt." Eyeball groans in anguish. I turn to face Eyeball and I tear up.

"Why?" I facepalm. "Why can't I go one day without hurting anyone?" Eyeball puts a hand against my cheek. "I'm afraid this is the last time we'll ever see each other. Tell me it isn't." I look away from Eyeball and I put my hand down.

"I don't know, Eyeball. I can't tell anymore. But please, don't make me enter this battle feeling even more guilty for all of the stuff that I did. Please don't take this the wrong way, but I don't love you."

Eyeball immediately puts her own hand down and she looks away. "Oh. I get it." She gets up and her hands turn into fists. "You don't care about me! You care about a Pearl that YOU shattered! You care about a Peridot that YOU seduced! You even care about a Jasper that hurt YOU!"

She glares down at me. "Can't you just break the ice for once?! Can you just let me help you?!" I turn away from her. "I don't need help."   
"Yes, you do! You tried to freaking drown yourself yesterday!"

"Pfft! That wasn't the only time." Eyeball facepalms. "WHAT?!" She starts shaking. "What do you mean by that?!"   
"On the first night I was here, I tried shattering myself in the pool down there."

"Any other times?"   
"I tried hanging myself a few times. I might have tried using the kitchen knives while the Gems weren't around to cut myself. And maybe I could've died whipping at my own Gem!"

Eyeball lands on her bottom and her glare turns into an expression of horror. Her eyes widen, her tears streaming down her face. "You need to stop this. This is getting WAY too out of hand!"

"Why do you care?!"   
"It's because I-"   
"Love me?!" She clutches her stomache. "I can't bare to watch you suffer like this! You know this is wrong, Amethyst! Are you just going to go out there and let that hurricane take you?!"

She grits her teeth. "You're not alone you know! I'm just as depressed as you are! I'm only trying to help you!" "Yeah?! Well stop trying because I don't care anymore!" Rain starts pouring down on us.

Eyeball doesn't give up. "You need to understand that you're dissapearing act is going to affect everyone you know! You REALLY think this is okay?! Tell me it isn't!"

"I can't." Eyeball looks down. "Fine." She shoves me down and she runs away. "Go ahead and die then!" She starts sobbing as she leaves. I turn back to the TV. I groan as I facepalm.

Why am I this suicidal? I shouldn't be! What happened to you, Amethyst? What changed? I press the power button on the TV and see myself for the first time in a while.

"Why did you let this happen to you? Why are you letting this happen to you? Why can't you just learn to let things go and move on? Why? Why can't you?" I get up and I start walking out.

"Hey, Amethyst!" I see Jasper running towards me. "It's go time. The storm is on its way!" I run outside to meet up with Lapis and Peridot. As I head towards them, Bismuth glares at me...along with Eyeball. 

She still has tears streaming down her face. She covers her face. "I loved you." She turns away and then I suddenly feel even more guilty. I broke-no. I shattered her heart.


	44. Bet

When I reach Peridot and Lapis, the two motion for me to follow them to the warp pad. I catch up with them and I step up onto the platform before warping us away to the temple.

Peridot takes a deep breath. "You two need to understand that dozens of lives are at risk. Beach City is definitely going into deeper water right now. If the hurricane advances, it could even destroy Ocean Town and maybe Jersey. I don't know."

Lapis looks down. "Aw. I liked Jersey." Peridot raises her eyebrow. "What?" Lapis clears her throat. "Because it leads to Empire City."   
"Yeah. That can also be destroyed. Just remember that if you fail to keep those waves from entering the town, no one will be able to stop them."

Eyeball's words ring in my head. "Are you just going to go out there and let that hurricane take you?!" I press a hand against my forehead as I close my eyes. "Oh geez."   
"Amethyst, this is important. So please listen."

I look up to face Peridot. "If in any case, Lapis gets taken off the chess board, you MUST take over for her and protect her until the very end. If you don't, you know what's going to happen."

I look away. "Look, I know you guys had your past rivalies and I get that. But this is critical. Failing this will cause the potential destruction of an entire region. Please, don't fail. I'm counting on you two to decide what's right by you."

She lets go of the warp and we appear in the temple. "Let's go team!" Peridot runs away. "I'm going to go evacuate everyone! You two head for the beach. Good luck!" Lapis runs down to the beach with me following right behind her.

Lightning starts striking down. "Let's start with some target practice. Redirect the lightning away from that  lighthouse over there." She points out the lighthouse and I point at the sky. I take a deep breath and I let it out.

I then send another finger from my other hand pointing down into the sea ahead of me, connecting both pointers together. The lightning strikes down at the sea and Lapis smiles. "Good. My turn."

She also takes a deep breath before letting it out. A normal wave comes rushing towards us. She then pushes the current back from the shore and I redirect another lightning strike. She chuckles. 

"Not bad, Amethyst. Tell you what? You wanna play a game? Perhaps place a wager?" I glare over at Lapis. "Wait. What?"   
"Why not? It's just going to be boring after we get the hang of this game."

"I understand. But place a wager? Place a bet? No! You can't just do that during the storm!"   
"Don't you want Peridot back?" I feel a jab in my gut even though Lapis didn't throw that.

I clear my throat. "Well, what is the bet?"   
"We see who does the most in this storm or for how long one can survive this without getting poofed first. The loser hands over their love interest to the winner for a week.

Plus, they can do anything with that love interest. And I mean anything! What do you say? You want round two with Peri or what?"   
"You're on." What have I got to lose?

I redirect more lightning as Lapis pushes back wave after wave. "Having fun yet?!" She grunts as she pushes back another wave. I smirk. "Looks like someone's giving out!" I chuckle.

Lapis glares at me. "You are so going down first!" She whips my face with water. "Whoops! Sorry, Amethyst. Reflex." Reflex my butt! I zap Lapis in the face as the lightning nears in on us.

I zap Lapis again and she starts losing control of the waves. The waves hit our feet as Lapis gets up. I chuckle. "Sorry, Lappy. Peri's all mine for next week!

"Amethyst, stop zapping me and concentrate!" I hit her again. At this rate, I have lost myself in the pleasure of watching myself abuse Lapis. I start laughing.

"Stop attacking me!" I zap her again and again until she's completely powerless. She can't even speak. "I'm going to win!" Lapis gets up and she starts raising up some gestures.

Lapis is raising up some clues. She's raising up red flags and warnings to everyone out there. And I'm not paying attention to them. Lapis suddenly gets struck down by lightning and she poofs. I bubble the gem immediately.

I win. "You lost." I turn around as a familiar chill creeps up my spine. My jaw drops as Eloc rushes towards us on a giant wave. "Uh-oh." I was warned. I can't attempt to push back the wave.

I let the wave take me. The world slows down in darkness. I hold on to  Lapis' gem as I drift away in the flood. I release some bubbles and I close my eyes as everything turns pitch black.


	45. Bubbled

A voice speaks to me. "Wake up." I open my eyes to see a blotch of blue. I groan. She helps me up and then I'm quickly shoved down again by a red blotch. I blink a few times and I gasp.

"Oh sh-" I get punched across the face. Two jabs on each side. Ruby pins me down as one last figure approaches me. "Amethyst." I see a red shirt with a star in the center, torn apart. "Steven." 

We stare at each other once more. Ruby punches me again and Sapphire pulls her back. "That's enough, Ruby! Give her some breathing room!" I cough out some water as Steven approaches me. 

"STEVEN! Get away from her! She's a monster!" Ruby fights against Sapphire's grip. "I'LL SHATTER YOU!" I wince as Steven steps up to me. "Let's talk." He sits down. I look around me. I'm in a bubble sheild.

HIS bubble sheild. "Lapis!" I just remembered her poofing before the tide rushed in. I check around me for her gem. "Looking for this?" He shows me the gem in his hand.

"Please don't shatter her."   
"I'm not going to shatter her. But I did see what you were trying to do. Before the tide rushed in, you poofed Lapis. When you picked her up, I knew. What is with you and shattering other Gems, Amethyst?"

I gaze into the gem and I try to be honest with Steven. Other than Eyeball, Steven is the one for me to really talk to about things like this. "It wasn't from my own intent. The night I shattered Pearl..."

I tear up. "I didn't want to do it."   
"OH REALLY?!" Ruby continues to fight Sapphire's grip on her. "BECAUSE LAST TIME I CHECKED, YOU'VE HATED EACH OTHER FROM START TO FINISH!" 

"That was in the past! You don't understand!"  
"OH! I UNDERSTAND PERFECTLY!"   
"I LOVE HER, ALRIGHT!" I cover my face. Steven sits down in front of me and he puts the gem away. "You...love her?" 

"I did."   
"Oh. Well, what made you love her?"  
"I don't know. I was just so upset from that night I fought Jasper...and lost. She came into the living room a few nights after to see me and we just talked. Then it got all personal and then...we kissed." 

"Amethyst? Please stop covering your eyes and look at me." I put my hands down and I look up at him. He's giving me a sad smile. "Was that it?"   
"No. There was also one other time in which we kissed in my room. But that was after the first. She said things like, no matter what happens, promise me you'll find your way back home."

I smile. "And I wanted to protect her. I told her that she could hang out with other Gems besides me. That she doesn't need me. But she said that she doesn't care about that. She also says that she forgives me for everything that I've ever done."

I wipe the tears from my eyes. "She said to me that if she was out there in the Kindergarten with me, she would've taken the bullet and I would've been shattered instead of her. I really wish that she did. I don't deserve to be here anymore."

"THAT'S RIGHT! YOU DESERVE TO GET SHATTERED! I'LL SHATTER YOU RIGHT NOW IF-!" Sapphire freezes Ruby to stop her from yelling at me. I turn back to Steven. "I just wish...I could no longer exist." Silence. "Hey."

Tears stream down my eyes as Steven lends me a hand. "Come here." I hesitate to take his hand for a moment. When I do, he embraces me and he pats my back. "It's okay." I start sobbing and Steven shushes me.

"Just let it out. It's going to be okay." I sniff. "D-Do you...forgive me?"   
"Yeah. I forgive you. But please. On Pearl's behalf, always find your way back home. Don't lose yourself in other matters such as that.

"Remember the good times. Think about now, not then. What happened then doesn't matter now. I know. What you did was horrible. But at the same time, it's time to move on. You're innocent. Just move on."

"But...what about Eloc?"   
"Eloc?" Steven lets go of me, raising an eyebrow. We turn to Sapphire. "Eloc Illuminar Cesarl. He is one of the universe's most notorious and infamous demons."

"But...what about him? How does Amethyst know him?"   
"He fused with her at the Kindergarten. She's been bearing the demon's curse and soul ever since."   
"Woah." He turns back to me. "So you were just forced to fuse? Just like Lapis?"

"Lapis Lazuli's case was much different. She chose to fuse with Jasper and she sacrificed for us because of it. It was her choice to spend many months of torture at the bottom of the ocean. As for Amethyst, she simply had no choice."

Steven looks down at my Gem, cracked. "Amethyst, why is your Gem cracked and why aren't you corrupted yet?"   
"She is half-corrupted, Steven. Just like how Lapis was from the mirror."

Sapphire continues. "I can see what she has done. Disturbingly enough, she actually attempted to shatter herself twice while she was gone." Steven licks his hand and he slaps it on my gem.

It glows and the cracks fix themselves back into their proper places. I smile. "Thanks, Steven." Steven looks down and then he snaps his fingers. "Oh yeah! I almost forgot, why did you steal my spit?" The smile drops as mine falters.


	46. Bloodshed

Welp, reunion's over. How am I going to answer this one? If I mention that I'm helping Jasper, Steven and Sapphire will probably lose it. Sapphire is already not smiling. She knows. I'm trapped. I can't lie.

What do I do? Should I chance it? No. Yes! Maybe. Oh geez. I sigh. "I..." I already notice my voice shaking. This isn't good. If this gives Steven the wrong idea, Ruby will be set loose on me once more.

I hold my arm for support. I take a deep breath. "I..."   
"Amethyst, spit it out."   
"I've been...I've been...helping Jasper." Steven's eyes widen. "WHAT?!" Sapphire remains silent. "You. You would never do that!"

He summons his sheild. "You stole my spit...for that creep?! She's terrible! Why did you do that?!" I gulp. "Steven, I can explain!" I look over to Sapphire. She turns away. It was nice seeing your smiles again, guys.

But as always, as the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Steven steps up to me and I back into the end of the bubble. "I can't believe you. I'm sorry, Amethyst. But I'm afraid, that was a really bad thing for you to do."

I start sobbing again. "No, Steven. Please. Not now! Steven, please stop! I don't want to hurt you! Just back away and calm down. I can explain everything." Ruby roars with fire coming out of her mouth. 

She breaks free from the ice and she charges towards me. Steven steps aside for Ruby to finish me off. I tear up as I pull out my whip. "I'm sorry, guys." I lash out at Ruby. I zap her and she stumbles backward.

She jumps onto me and she punches me left and right. She then summons her gauntlet for extra damage. I try to punch her. But she catches my hand to stop me. She punches me an excessive amount of times over and over and over again.

There is only one way out this mess. I have to attack Steven and defeat him to let me out the bubble. I also have to get Lapis back as well. Peridot would be very upset if I lose her. I zap Ruby first a few times until she finally poofs after she gets another good hit on me.

I then get up and I pick up Ruby's gem. Steven and Sapphire gasp. "RUBY!"   
"Amethyst, don't do it!" I throw it at Steven and he screams. Through tears, I lunge into him.

When we land, I punch him in the face and in the nose a few times as I also get punched as well. Sapphire rushes up to try to freeze me. I roll off of Steven for a moment as he coughs up some blood.

Nothing could destroy me more than seeing Steven, beaten up with blood pouring out of him. I close my eyes and I zap him. I could hear him screaming in agony. "STEVEN!" I open my eyes as Sapphire rushes towards me.

I zap her as well and I pull out my whip as Sapphire summons her own gauntlet. I lash out at her. She catches the end of it as I pull out another whip to catch her off guard.

She screams as the whip wraps around her. The spikes pop out and Sapphire, with a tear streaming down her face, poofs. I walk up to Steven and I reach down to pull Lapis out of his pocket.

He opens his eyes and he grabs my arm. He pulls me in and he punches me again. I really, really hate myself right now. I zap Steven once more and I keep doing it until he closes his eyes with his head slamming into the floor below us.

The bubble pops and we are underwater. I start sobbing again and I scream. I let out a torrent of bubbles, yanking my hair. I quickly grab Lapis' gem as I pull it out of Steven's pocket. I put it in my own and I look down at Steven.

If I leave him here, he'll die. He'll not only drown, but he will bleed to death as well. Blood seeps into the water as I stare down at Steven's fallen body. I can't bare to let things end like this. I really am a monster. 

I look away to see Sapphire and Ruby's gems. If I leave them here, they can't regenerate. I would have murdered three innocent beings. "Leave them to die." I look around for Eloc...but he isn't there.

Even though I know I will regret it later, I grab Ruby and Sapphire's gems and I place them in my pockets with Lapis. I then grab Steven and I hoist him up over my shoulder. I start swimming back up to the surface.


End file.
